GAP confirms rental fleet is HVO compatible

UK-based GAP Group has announced that hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) fuel is fully compatible with all its plant and machinery rental products, after completing a two-year-long trial of the diesel alternative fuel.

Described by the firm as the “longest and most detailed real-life trial of HVO fuel in the hire industry”, GAP tested the HVO fuel with every piece of rental equipment at its 4hire depot on the Channel Island of Jersey.

Mark Anderson, GAP’s Managing Director North, said, “Following the trial, GAP is pleased to re-confirm that Green D+ HVO fuel can be used to top up all our hire diesel equipment.

“HVO is fully compatible with all existing equipment meaning using this fuel alternative is an easy switch. There is no need to clean the fuel tanks prior to switching, customers can just refill their tanks with HVO and continue operations with no damage to any machinery.”

Over 40,000 litres of HVO fuel was used during the trial, which also saw the alternative fuel used with the depot’s entire commercial vehicle fleet.

The trial was completed ahead of the introduction of new UK legislation regarding the use of red diesel and rebated biofuels in off-road vehicles and machinery.

According to the UK Government, the law reform will “remove the entitlement to use red diesel and rebated biodiesel from most sectors” - including the construction and equipment rental industries.

Part of a drive to meet “climate change and air quality targets”, the new laws aim to help reduce the country’s greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. 

Anderson said, “From 1st April 2022, the construction industry, including hire companies, can no longer use, top up or supply subsidised red diesel or red HVO. Currently, HVO is going to be taxed the same as white diesel following the red diesel/HVO subsidy removal for construction.

“However, there is growing support to subsidise the use of HVO and GAP remains at the forefront of these discussions.”

This latest news from GAP comes just a month after it announced plans to digitalise its hire operations and become ‘paper-free’, in order to meet its own carbon net-zero by 2040 target.