Strategy

Fleet decarbonisation

It is recognised across Surrey that changes are required to decarbonise our fleets for recycling and waste collections, as well as street cleansing services. This is to meet new emerging priorities from national and local commitments to reduce carbon emissions.

Project work begun in 2022 to inform our strategies across Surrey, this has included contracting Cenex to deliver modelling work and research. Cenex are an independent, not-for-profit who have expertise in zero emission vehicles and renewable fuels. They have delivered:

  • A baseline of existing fleets’ costs and emissions – helping SEP authorities to understand the starting point for reducing emissions.
  • A model to estimate the costs and emissions of different low and zero emission scenarios for the same fleets. This includes consideration of both vehicles and the infrastructure required to run low or zero emission alternatives.
  • A seminar and report providing an introduction to the different technology options, upskilling our officers and councillors.

The Result:

  • A total of 400 vehicles were assessed, ranging from small light commercial vehicles to 26t refuse collection vehicles. On average these vehicles consume between 4 and 43 litres a day each.
  • The top five vehicle segments account for ~89% of the fleet greenhouse gas emissions and ~85% of the air quality emissions. Overall, the fleet emits just under 9,600 tonnes of well-to-wheel greenhouse emissions a year.
  • Refuse collection vehicles account for 54% of the vehicles and 59% of the overall fleet greenhouse gas emissions.
  • If the entire fleet were to transition to zero emission vehicle technologies between now and 2040 then:
    • Purchase costs could increase by 13% for battery electric vehicles and 48% for fuel cell electric vehicles relative to the baseline fleet capital cost of diesel vehicle replacements.
    • Running costs could be reduced by 22% for battery electric vehicles, but could increase for fuel cell electric vehicles depending on the long term price of green hydrogen.
    • Well-to-wheel greenhouse gas emissions could be reduced by 96% for battery electric vehicles and 89% for fuel cell electric vehicles assuming a fully decarbonised electricity grid by 2035.

These models will assist SEP in developing plans to meet future needs towards decarbonising our fleets, and work continues to identify further opportunities to work collaboratively.

See also