Climate change, rising oil costs, the need to reduce our dependency on fossil fuels in the longer term; just three of the factors contributing to the debate on future energy sources. But where to go from here? While the general consensus is that diesel will continue to provide the mainstay for road transport in the foreseeable future, the growing availability of alternative fuels today is widening choice and opening new windows of opportunity.
But new fuels bring about new challenges: Which one is right for me? What are the implications of running on that? Just how widely available is it? – all these, and more, are questions being asked by Britain's transport operators right now.
The purpose of this publication is not to define which fuel is best for any particular transport application, but rather to explain the terminology in common use and provide the information needed to enable you evaluate the options available on the market today.
We therefore hope you will find this document a useful guide.
Finally, please regard this publication as a 'living' document; as changes and developments occur, we will naturally keep you updated as to progress.
Did you know? Carbon footprint: Is an expression in common use today to describe the total amount of carbon dioxide (not carbon) produced by any given operation. When running on diesel, every litre of fuel used produces 2.7 kilogrammes of carbon dioxide – regardless of how 'clean burning' the engine is or how quickly the fuel is burnt. This is because carbon dioxide is produced as a function of the combustion process. |
