Worldwide Flight Companies (WFS), a member of the SATS Group, is beginning a three-month trial utilizing HVO biofuel in its airside transport fleet at London’s Heathrow Airport in assist of SATS’ environmental, social and governance (ESG) group priorities and Heathrow’s purpose for all airport autos to be zero-emission or utilizing biofuels by 2030.

Commencing on July 1 2024, the trial initially includes two of WFS’s airside transport autos. Based mostly on the profitable end result of the trial, WFS will start growing the usage of biofuel throughout its fleet of 77 airside autos, which conduct roughly 130,000 truck actions a yr at Heathrow in assist of 10 airline prospects.

The biofuel supplier for the trial is Airport Vitality, a part of WP Group.

WFS has already transitioned its airside vans from diesel to a completely electrical fleet to assist Heathrow Airport’s sustainability technique ‘Heathrow 2.0’ and WFS’s sustainability initiatives. Its airside fleet additionally meets the Euro 6 environmental customary, which limits dangerous exhaust emissions and enhance native air high quality.

“This trial will assist us decide if biofuel is appropriate for our operation and, whether it is, we’ll transfer extra autos over to HVO (hydrotreated or hydrogenated vegetable oil) over the following 12 months,” mentioned Paul Carmody, WFS’ Managing Director UK Cargo. “As a part of our shut working relationship with Heathrow, we’re dedicated to supporting the airport’s sustainability targets, and the usage of cleaner biofuels is simply one of many methods we purpose to do that.”

James Golding, Head of Cargo at Heathrow Airport, mentioned: “Heathrow is dedicated to decarbonisation, and as a part of our Heathrow 2.0 sustainability technique and cargo technique the top purpose is for all airside autos to be zero emissions. Biofuels play an extremely essential function on this journey, so we assist WFS’ biofuel trials throughout their diesel vans, which can assist scale back lifecycle carbon emissions at Heathrow, benefiting each individuals and planet.”

Along with this newest biofuel trial, WFS has commenced a transport fleet renewal and improve programme to satisfy new environmental requirements. It is usually getting ready to trial an electrical truck in its Heathrow transport operation and championing environmentally pleasant driving requirements by upskilling its driving group via elevated coaching assist and evaluation.