Stagecoach to blend own biofuel on site

Stagecoach has become the first UK bus company to mix its own biofuel on site using a new bio-blender installed at its Kilmarnock depot.

Currently, the vast majority of Stagecoach’s 8,100-strong bus fleet operates uses a mix of five per cent biofuel and 95 per cent standard diesel. The new bio-blender will enable buses at Kilmarnock depot to run on a greener mix of up to 40 per cent biofuel and 60 per cent standard diesel.

The bio-blender has a computerised control unit which allows trained Stagecoach staff to set the blend of fuel that is required as this can change dependent on the air temperature.

The new initiative follows the launch of the UK’s first bio-buses in Kilmarnock in 2007 – nine vehicles which run on 100 per cent biofuel made from used cooking oil and other food industry by-products.

The bio-bus project, which also allows customers to exchange their used cooking oil for discounted bus travel, has reduced CO2 emissions from the vehicles by 80 per cent, saving more than 2450 tonnes of carbon. More than 70 tonnes of used cooking oil has been recycled at East Ayrshire Council’s recycling plant since the start of the scheme.

The blended biofuel will be used in vehicles serving routes in Kilmarnock and Irvine as well as Service 11 to Ardrossan and express services to Glasgow.

The bio-blender initiative is the latest in a string of measures being taken by Stagecoach to reduce its carbon footprint as a business.

The Group has launched a sustainability strategy and is investing £11million in a range of measures to meet its environmental targets. The Group is targeting an overall reduction of eight per cent in buildings CO2 emissions and a cut of three per cent in annual fleet transport CO2e emissions by 2014.

For more information
Web: www.stagecoachbus.com