London Gatwick switches ground fleet to run on HVO

London Gatwick has cut carbon emissions from its diesel vehicles by 90% by swapping the fuel for Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO).
The switch means London Gatwick will save more than 950 tonnes of carbon emissions per annum.
HVO is a low-carbon biofuel made from plant waste, oils and fats making it a more sustainable and lower-carbon alternative to diesel.
All 300 diesel vehicles, 85% of London Gatwick’s fleet, are now powered by HVO until they are retired from use. They will then be replaced by electric vehicles as part of the airport’s sustainability policy, Decade of Change.
Some of the vehicles that are now powered by HVO include all the airport’s fire engines, airside operations vehicles and snow ploughs. An extensive trial concluded that HVO had no impact on the performance of the vehicles, meaning the fire engines still have the capability to respond to call outs anywhere on the airfield within three minutes.
Steve Kelso, Head of Engineering, London Gatwick, said: “The implementation of Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil to power our 300 diesel vehicles is an exciting milestone for London Gatwick’s sustainability journey and a big step in our fleet transition. It is vital we invest in sustainably sourced HVO to reduce emissions in all areas as soon as possible on our journey to reach net zero for our own Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030.”
In 2023, London Gatwick accelerated its commitment to be net-zero for its own Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions by 2030, 10 years ahead of its previous commitment.
The move to HVO is a small but important step for London Gatwick and part of much wider and ambitious plans to also address Scope 3 (indirect) emissions, which account for the largest impact at the airport.