East Midlands Airport has transitioned over 60 of its operational vehicles to hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) biodiesel, cutting their carbon emissions by up to 90% compared to traditional diesel. The switch includes airfield operations vehicles, fire engines, snow ploughs, and other ground support units.
The move aligns with Manchester Airports Group’s (MAG) five-year sustainability strategy, which aims for net zero operations across its airports, including Manchester, London Stansted, and East Midlands- by 2038.
Supplied by YourNRG, the HVO fuel is derived from waste vegetable oils and fats. It undergoes hydrogen treatment to create a clean-burning, biodegradable fuel that also significantly reduces particulate emissions.
East Midlands Airport has been carbon neutral since 2012 and was the first UK airport to achieve certification from the Airport Carbon Accreditation scheme. Alongside the new fuel switch, the site uses 100% renewable electricity, has installed commercial-grade wind turbines, and diverts all waste from landfill. Additional upgrades include electric ambulifts for passengers with reduced mobility and expanded electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure for airside vehicles.
The fuel conversion reflects growing momentum among UK infrastructure and transport hubs to decarbonise operations with scalable, low-carbon technologies.
