CASE STUDY: Serco

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Driving down carbon emissions with Serco’s low carbon vehicles and interventions 

Serco provides waste and recycling services to 20 local authorities, collecting waste and recycling from 2.5 million residents per annum of which c. 285,000 tonnes is recyclable.

Serco is committed to reducing the carbon emissions from delivery of these services and have reduced carbon emissions by more than 30% using interventions such as ‘minimum miles’ route optimisation technology. Serco also use vehicle telematics across their fleet to monitor fuel efficiency and drivers’ habits. This enables training interventions which influence more fuel-efficient driver behaviour ensuring our fleet energy consumption is constantly managed.

As part of Serco’s commitment to net zero carbon , 2021 has seen Serco working with two Local Authorities on proposals to move to Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil fuel (HVO) from standard B7 road diesel used in their refuse collection vehicles and to introduce fully electric refuse collection vehicles.

The 1st Local Authority gave approval allowing for the implementation of HVO in 2021 and it is hoped that carbon emissions can be reduced by up to 90% and lessen the impact of wider air emissions. The fleet of vehicles currently represents around a quarter of the total Local Authority CO2 emissions.

For the 2nd Local Authority, Serco’s Environmental Service Team in collaboration with the Serco Business Services Fleet team, are currently trialling a fully electric refuse collection vehicle. As the trial continues a plan is in development for a widespread roll-out of electric refuse collection vehicles across the Authorities area.

These proposals will be a significant step towards the Local Authorities becoming carbon neutral by 2030, as pledged when both declared climate emergencies in 2020.