As we covered in our interview with DHL’s Katharina Tomoff earlier this year, DHL and Tesco Ireland have commenced a shift to biomethane-fueled trucks across its fleet as part of its decarbonisation strategy.
This initiative is part of Tesco’s broader strategy to reduce its Carbon footprint and improve the environmental sustainability of its operations.
These new biomethane trucks will replace 50 diesel units, potentially reducing tailpipe carbon emissions by up to 90%. Tesco’s transport partner DHL will manage the fleet, which will transport goods from distribution centres in Dublin to various stores.
Darragh O’Brien, Minister for Housing, Local Government & Heritage in the Irish government, commented from Tesco’s Distribution Centre in Donabate: “The commitment by Tesco to introduce 50 biomethane trucks into their national fleet is very welcome news. Ireland’s road haulage sector makes up 20% of the total road transport emissions in Ireland, so it is incumbent on companies like Tesco with their partners DHL, to play their part in helping to drive down our overall carbon emissions.”
Ger Counihan, Tesco Ireland Retail & Distribution Director, highlighted the network’s capacity: “Our network is one of the most sophisticated distribution networks in the country. More than 1,800 journeys are made from our distribution centres every week to our 177 stores. We have worked hard with DHL to prepare for the switch from diesel to biomethane trucks, and this move to cleaner energy will reduce the carbon emissions created by this fleet considerably.”
The renewable fuel for the trucks will be sourced from Irish and European anaerobic digestion plants, with refueling at the newly opened BioCNG station operated by Flogas in north Dublin. Each truck has a range of 700km on a full tank of biomethane gas, allowing them to reach any Tesco store in Ireland, and return without refueling. Each truck will complete 15 to 20 deliveries per week across the country.
“This is such an important project to demonstrate the role biomethane can play in Irish commercial transport and a significant step towards decarbonising Tesco’s fleet. Our partnership with Tesco shows what can be achieved through a shared commitment to sustainability and we’re looking forward to continuing this journey together. DHL is fundamentally decarbonising a significant proportion of the retail transport sector in Ireland, and this partnership with Tesco Ireland is a big part of that story. This project is a great example of our Green Transport Policy, guiding the transition of 30% of our own fleet to a green alternative by the end of 2026, an important enabler in achieving our sustainability goals,” explained David O’Neill from DHL Supply Chain.
