Coca-Cola project drives take-up of greener truck fuel

Soft-drinks-giant-drives-use-of-greener-truck-fuel.jpg
MJD aims to replace diesel with GD+ in all of its logistics and haulage operations

A Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) project urging third party partners to slash carbon footprints has led road haulier MJD to adopt Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) drop-in biofuel GD+ across its haulage operations.

The fuel is being used with immediate effect in MJD’s existing diesel engine trucks, with no modifications required, cutting carbon emissions by 17,000 tonnes a year. MJD is CCEP’s longest serving logistics provider. 

CCEP led a 12-month collaboration between CCEP's longest serving logistics provider MJD and Green BioFuels (GBF), the UK’s main providers of HVO fuel.

Aims to replace diesel

Following a trial of the drop-in fuel, MJD signed a deal for 6m litres per annum of GD+ from GBF. MJD aims to replace diesel with the alternative fuel in all of its logistics and haulage operations at no additional capital expenditure, reducing emissions from trucks during transportation and improving local air quality during the loading and delivery of goods at depots.

“We know that it’s only by working in partnership across our supply chain that we can make a meaningful impact in tackling climate change," Javier Sanchez Gandarias, vice president, customer service and supply chain at CCEP (GB), said. "We have set ourselves the target of reducing emissions across our value chain by 30% by 2030 and this initiative forms an important part of achieving this aim. 

“The transition to more environmentally-friendly haulage systems like GD+ HVO forms an important part of our This is Forward sustainability strategy and our overall ambition to reach net zero by 2040, and we will continue to work with our suppliers to find new ways to make a difference.” 

'Decarbonisation has to start now'

Magnus Hammick, chief operating officer of GBF, said: “After looking into a number of other options, CCEP and MJD have found a here and now solution in GD+. To achieve 2050 climate goals, decarbonisation has to start now using existing new technologies like GD+ which does not require any hardware changes to achieve 85% emissions reductions.” 

MJD’s managing director, Stephen Dole, said: “We are a long established family business who have always had a sustainable future at the very heart of our business model. The switch to GD+ HVO ensures that we are able to take a significant step towards our goal of being truly carbon neutral.”