Bentley green fuel cuts carbon emissions at Crewe

Bentley Motors is celebrating the first anniversary of its breakthrough logistics project to significantly reduce CO₂ emissions at the company's headquarters in Crewe, England, where all Bentley models are built.

The installation of an on-site, 34,000-litre biofuel tank and pump has dramatically cut CO₂ output from local logistics vehicles by 233 tonnes in just 12 months. As a result of the initiative, Bentley can now run its in-house logistics fleet on 100% green energy.

The 'Green D+' biofuel is made from Hydrotreated waste Vegetable Oil (HVO), a fossil-free alternative to diesel that refines renewable and sustainable products such as waste fats, vegetables and oil. It now powers fifteen HGV logistics trucks carrying parts between Crewe and a company storage depot in Winsford, plus a further 20 smaller, on-site vans and security vehicles.

Bentley logistics vehicles have used over 100,000 litres of the waste-based fuel since the new tank and pump were installed in late November 2020.

To offset the same amount of CO₂ - a saving of 86% - would have required the company to plant 23,291 trees. The resulting reduction in emissions also helped ensure that when the wider Bentley manufacturing site was recertified to PAS 2060 Carbon Neutral standard last month, off-setting was substantially reduced compared to when the certification was first achieved in 2019.

Alongside the HVO biofuel scheme, Bentley's 250-plus forklift trucks and the tow motors used inside the factory itself are also being charged with green electricity. Much of this power is provided by Bentley's 30,000 on-site solar panels, which harness power from the sun and played a key part in securing the site's certification to PAS 2060 carbon neutral standard by the Carbon Trust.