Retailer Lidl Ireland has announced the introduction of its first Electrical truck and Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (HVO) Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) into its logistics fleet.
The pilot scheme will see the sustainably powered vehicles join the discounter's logistic fleet at the retailer’s Newbridge Regional Distribution Centre, commencing the retailer’s transition from fossil fuel commercial vehicles to more environmentally friendly vehicles.
First For Irish Retail
This move is a first in the Irish food retail industry, and is carried out in conjunction with refrigerated delivery suppliers, Zellwood Ltd.
The introduction of the new logistics trucks is the beginning of a wider rollout across the retailer’s fleet that deliver to Lidl’s four distribution centres and over 200 Lidl stores throughout Ireland, on a daily basis.
In 2021, Lidl Irelands logistic fleet covered over 16.8 million kilometres, the equivalent of 21 return trips to the moon.
The retailer has been working to lower its carbon footprint by participating in fuel use monitoring and reduction schemes over the past number of years, which has seen a reduction in fossil fuel use through a best-in-class fleet and engines used for deliveries.
Commenting on the launch of the new vehicles into Lidl’s logistics fleet, and highlighting Lidl’s position as Ireland’s most sustainable retailer Robert Ryan, chief operating officer, Lidl Ireland and Northern Ireland said, “At Lidl we take our role in society seriously and strive to go above and beyond to make a positive difference, delivering real change through innovation and investment. As a leading retailer it is our responsibility to not only offer the best service and price for our customers, suppliers, and communities, but to protect the environment and build a successful, sustainable future. We are delighted to be the first retailer in Ireland to incorporate positive change by use of these environmentally friendly haulage trucks into our logistics fleet. Not only does it accelerate our journey to cleaner roads, but in turn with the soaring cost of fossil fuels like diesel it will keep prices down for our customers. We are looking forward to the journey ahead to scale up adaption across our entire fleet aligning to our sustainable environmental commitments and goals.”
Read More: Lidl Ireland Commits To Becoming Carbon Neutral By 2025
Lidl Ireland Renewable Energy Policies
Having already made the switch to purchasing 100% green energy in 2018, Lidl is supporting a switch to renewable energy generation by committing to retrofitting solar panelling across its stores and regional distribution centres.
Lidl’s first electric-powered truck will take to the roads in July this year and will be powered by 100% fully traceable renewable solar-generated electricity that is produced at the Newbridge regional distribution centres.
The HVO vehicle is currently part of the fleet and will reduce emissions by 90% per trip by using 100% renewable fuel produced by the hydrotreatment of vegetable oil that creates a fuel product with the same chemical structure as diesel.
The sustainably fuelled truck is estimated to reduce emissions in the order of 121.75t carbon dioxide equivalents in a full year’s deliveries and will also see benefits such as the reduction of particulates and NOx (Noxious diesel emissions) which are hazardous emissions that occur from the use of fossil fuels in vehicles.
© 2022 Checkout – your source for the latest Irish retail news. Article by Conor Farrelly. Click sign up to subscribe to Checkout.
