Ainscough on track to be the world’s first carbon neutral crane company

MYCRANE

14.03.2022


UK based Ainscough Crane Hire, has become the first national crane company in the world to commit to using HVO (Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil) across its entire fleet.

The move will cover Ainscough’s 400+ cranes and 30+ transport and heavy goods vehicles (HGVs). Ainscough anticipates that the adoption of HVO will result in a further CO2 reduction of up to 90%, saving in excess of 14,000 tonnes of CO2 per year.

HVO is an advanced renewable diesel alternative – made largely of recycled vegetable oil ‐ that offers significant environmental advantages, including enhanced burning efficiency while delivering the same benefits and robustness as traditional fossil fuels. It can be used as a direct replacement for diesel – meaning no modifying of Ainscough’s fleet is required. Crane manufacturer Liebherr has supported the extensive trials of HVO across Ainscough’s fleet to confirm emissions, performance, and viability. 

Ainscough plans to be carbon neutral from next month, becoming the first crane company in the world to reach this milestone. These announcements will also see it become the first national crane firm in the world to be fully powered by low‐emission fuel, supported by its UK-wide depot and refuelling network. This represents the first major phase of the firm’s transition to a net-zero operation by 2025.

Peter Gibbs, chief executive officer, Ainscough Crane Hire said: “As the UK’s leading crane hire company we have a responsibility to lead by example in the challenge of preserving the planet for future generations. Our move to HVO fuel across our crane and transport fleet is not just a breakthrough moment for the domestic crane hire market – it’s a global first for a national company too.

“Our fuel usage is the most significant aspect of our carbon footprint, accounting for the vast majority of the business’ carbon emissions. By achieving this 95% reduction and undertaking offsetting we have been able to make sure our company will be a carbon-neutral business within the first months of 2022. Everyone working in construction needs to be bold in order to ensure we can reach our collective net-zero targets, and we feel this announcement will be of great benefit to our partners throughout the industry.

“This adoption has been made possible thanks to the sheer breadth of our depot network, meaning our team will have easy access to refuelling locations across the country.”



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