Member Article

Ainscough Crane Hire to go carbon neutral from April 2022 following world-first adoption of HVO fuel

The UK’s leading lifting solutions company, Ainscough Crane Hire, has become the first national crane company in the world to commit to using HVO (Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil) in its fleet, representing a key milestone in the construction industry’s journey to net zero.

The move will cover Ainscough’s 400+ cranes and 30+ transport and heavy goods vehicles (HGVs).

Ainscough anticipates that the adoption of HVO will result in a further CO2 reduction of up to 90%, saving in excess of 14,000 tonnes of CO2 per year. An additional 5% reduction has been achieved through wider energy saving initiatives with the residual circa 5% met via the use of UK based residual carbon offsetting.

HVO is an advanced renewable diesel alternative – made largely of recycled vegetable oil ‐ that offers significant environmental advantages, including enhanced burning efficiency while delivering the same benefits and robustness as traditional fossil fuels.

Ainscough is sourcing HVO through a guaranteed sustainable supply chain.

HVO can be used as a direct replacement for diesel – meaning no modifying of Ainscough’s fleet is required ‐ and has a storage life over ten times that of traditional diesel, providing consistent performance in all conditions. Crane manufacturer Liebherr has supported the extensive trials of HVO across Ainscough’s fleet to confirm emissions, performance and viability.

The wider environmental initiatives across the business will include:

• Substantially increasing number of Stage V engines in Ainscough’s fleet • Encouraging sustainable life choices amongst staff • Smart lighting and upgrades to heating systems

This combined activity means that Ainscough will be carbon neutral from April 2022 and will see it become the first crane firm in the world to be fully powered by low‐emission fuel, supported by its UK wide depot and refuelling network. This represents the first major phase of the firm’s transition to a net zero operation by 2025.

Peter Gibbs, chief executive officer, Ainscough Crane Hire said: “As the UK’s leading crane hire company we have a responsibility to lead by example in the challenge of preserving the planet for future generations. Our move to HVO fuel is not just a breakthrough moment for the domestic crane hire market – it’s a global first too.

“Our fuel usage is the most significant aspect of our carbon footprint, accounting for the vast majority of the business’ carbon emissions. By achieving this 95% reduction and undertaking offsetting we have been able to make sure our company will be a carbon neutral business within the first months of 2022. Everyone working in construction needs to be bold in order to ensure we can reach our collective net zero targets, and we feel this announcement will be of great benefit to our partners throughout the industry.

“This adoption has been made possible thanks to the sheer breadth of our depot network, meaning our team will have easy access to refueling locations across the country.

“Ainscough has a long and proud history of pioneering to the benefit of the construction industry and the communities in which we work. It has taken a phenomenal amount of research and effort to get us to this point, but I’m confident that this latest step is our company’s most important innovation yet.”

The switch is part of Ainscough Crane Hire’s wider environmental strategy, which is underpinned by a commitment to delivering innovative solutions for the environment and the communities it works in across the breadth of the UK. The company is supported in this effort by its majority owner Blackstone, who welcomed the news today.

Paulo Eapen, European Head of Blackstone Credit, said: “We are proud to be Ainscough’s partner, and becoming carbon neutral puts the company at the forefront of sustainable leadership in its sector. We look forward to continuing to work with Ainscough to innovate and grow the business sustainably.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Sarah Jones .