Certa fuel stations to be powered by solar energy

Fuel supplier Certa – part of DCC plc, has become the first operator in Ireland to open a fully-fledged HVO fuel station as it pursues a new strategy to make the fossil-free biofuel, which is a renewable alternative to diesel, more widely available to motorists.

Certa’s new ‘Forecourt of the Future’ in Liffey Valley cost over €1 million to build and is the first in Ireland to make Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) available at all pumps alongside diesel and unleaded petrol.

HVO is produced from waste plant matter and can be used as a direct replacement for diesel without any need for vehicle or engine modifications to help motorists lower their carbon emissions by up to 90%.

Certa has already started to upgrade its network of 41 unmanned, pay@pump forecourts to offer HVO at all fuel pumps alongside other fuels. The first of the newly upgraded forecourts are scheduled to open in Clarehall, Clearwater, Ballymount, Ashbourne and Drogheda before the end of the year.

“Our goal is to make it easy for motorists to transition to HVO as a renewable alternative to diesel and to make this biofuel as accessible as we can to help motorists to reduce their carbon emissions,” said Andrew Graham, Managing Director, Certa Ireland.

“Our immediate priority is to facilitate demand where it is greatest by upgrading a cluster of existing forecourts in the Dublin region to offer HVO at all pumps alongside diesel and unleaded petrol. We plan to complete the upgrading of our entire network by the end of 2024’, he added.

Certa has also become the first fuel supplier in Ireland to present HVO pricing on its forecourt pricing totems. It is currently matching the price of HVO with diesel at its new forecourt in Liffey Valley and it is committed to achieving future price parity.

“We want to close the gap on diesel to achieve price parity. We want our pricing for HVO to be comparable and competitive with diesel. That is our long-term goal and we are confident that we can achieve it,” said Mr. Graham.

Certa is also rolling out a plan that will enable its entire network of 41 forecourts to generate their own power from solar energy following its recent acquisition of leading solar and renewable energy specialists Alternative Energy Ireland.

Solar PV panels have already been installed at five of its forecourts. Certa is committed to reducing its carbon emissions to net zero by 2050 or sooner. The ongoing installation of Solar PV across its network is taking place as part of its energy transition programme and drive to become Ireland’s most progressive energy company.

66 Solar PV panels have been installed at the newly opened Certa forecourt in Liffey Valley to help power the site, including its carwash and two Electric Vehicle (EV) fast chargers with speeds of up to 180 kWh. The installation is estimated to save 7 tonnes of carbon a year.

Certa’s decision to place HVO on the same footing as other fuels follows the successful opening of a stand-alone HVO pump at the Certa Lee Tunnel forecourt in Cork earlier this year and its decision to transition its entire fleet of 100 delivery vehicles from diesel to HVO as a low carbon biofuel.

It has also helped a growing number of leading businesses and events to decarbonise and to transition to HVO as a renewable fuel, including Amazon Web Service (AWS), John Sisk & Son Ltd., M50 Truck and Van Centre, The National Ploughing Championships, the Irish Open and Electric Picnic.

The machinery involved in the construction of the new Certa forecourt in Liffey Valley was fully fuelled by HVO. The development of the site has also come full circle with the provision of a dedicated Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) lane for HGV drivers and businesses who are committed to fuelling their vehicles with HVO.

The post Certa opens Ireland’s first HVO biofuel station in Liffey Valley – Full feature in next issue of IF&CR appeared first on Ireland's Forecourt & Convenience Retailer.

IF&CR talks to Certa managing director Andrew Graham about the recent acquisition of AEI Alternative Energy Ireland (AEI), where this fits into the company’s strategic vision – and what it means to lead by example – taking Ireland forward towards carbon neutrality by 2050.

Originally from a small town in New Zealand’s clean, green South Island, Andrew Graham has made another, equally beautiful island in the northern hemisphere home from home. He took up the reins as MD of Certa two and a half years ago, having worked with its parent company DCC plc for nine years.

Having clocked up over 22 years of experience in total, he describes his career in Ireland as an ‘interesting journey’. For seven years before becoming MD of Certa, he was Operations Director for the retail side of the business – responsible for 700 unmanned forecourts across Europe, building that business from scratch as its first employee – technically building it up from nothing – something he describes as a ‘great opportunity.’

Since then, everything has accelerated at break neck speed. The company made two major acquisitions – Campus Oil and Jones Oil, effectively trippling in size from just over 100 employees to 340 – and that was before the recent acquisition of Alternative Energy Ireland (AEI).

Fast growth

The acquisition of leading solar and renewable energy specialists Alternative Energy Ireland is a strategic move, as part of Certa’s drive to become Ireland’s most progressive energy company.

So what’s the thinking behind this important strategic acquisition for the company?

“It was a natural extension for the business – it was clearly the way to go,” said Andrew. “Ireland’s Climate Action Plan is enshrined in legislation to see a 50% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030. All sectors have a role to play in achieving that.”

Certa’s vision

Certa’s vision is to become Ireland’s most progressive energy company – and as managing director, Andrew Graham’s task is to make that happen. It’s a huge leadership responsibility.

“Our business is the distribution of energy solutions – to help make that greener. A big step last year was the introduction of HVO – hydrotreated vegetable oil. Our entire fleet of 100 vehicles runs on HVO – but we wanted to strengthen that offering to the commercial sector – along with solar PV and heat pumps.

“We wanted to have other renewable energy options for customers along with the solar and heat pumps. The acquisition of AEI was a good fit for our customer base as another energy solutions provider.

Alternative Energy

“Alternative Energy Ireland has been in business since 2007 – and we’re very fortunate to bring their fantastic team alongside ours, including of course its founder and Managing Director Steven Bray.

Alternative Energy Ireland (AEI) has been in operation since 2007 and is the country’s longest established renewable energy specialists.

The company designs and installs renewable energy systems including solar PV panels that generate electricity, solar thermal panels that heat water, heat recovery ventilation systems and home heat pumps.

Its commercial customers include Adare Manor, Woodies, Chadwicks and even the seat of government in the north – Stormont Castle. As corporates and companies look to showcase their green credentials and make meaningful changes to how they operate – Certa is now perfectly positioned to lead the way. For example, HVO is now used to power Amazon Web Services  back-up generators on their data centres

Dream team

“I’m fortunate to lead a fantastic team of people, each committed to our vision. My role is to make sure everything is aligned and that the team has all the support and resources to execute the strategy. The people in this business make my job a lot easier.”

Certa was born from the confluence of a number of successful Irish energy brands – servicing commercial, industrial, residential and mobility sectors.

Certa also has the strength of a giant parent company behind it – DCC plc.

Certa is committed to reducing its carbon emissions to net zero by 2050, or sooner, in line with DCC plc’s commitment.

The good parent

DCC plc is a leading international sales, marketing and support services group operating in 22 countries, supplying products and services used by millions of people every day.

DCC is headquartered in Dublin, but the Group operates across three sectors: energy, healthcare and technology, employing over 16,000 people. DCC plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 100.

Therefore the pedigree is unquestionable. Now, combining well-known names such as Emo, Campus, and  Jones Oil   – the new brand was born – Certa Ireland.

In 2022, Certa cleverly partnered with Tesco Clubcard for all its unmanned Pay@Pumps – another strategic move for the benefit of both partners – and ultimately for the benefit of customers.

Energy Forward

“Our purpose is distilled into these two words –  Energy Forward. For us, it embodies the alchemy of progress, momentum, agility and entrepreneurial spirit.

“Our vision is to become Ireland’s most exciting energy company, connecting people and businesses to the most progressive energy solutions available.”

Leading by example

The ethos of leading by example is distilled into the mind of Andrew and the team.

“By converting our own fleet to 100% HVO we have reduced the emissions of 100 trucks to the output of nine trucks.

“Solar panels have been installed at our unmanned stations. The HVO solution is an important option for our customer base – and we will be developing that.

“For now, we have one pump on site – with the installation of the country’s first HVO pump at the Certa Lee Tunnel forecourt in Cork. More HVO pumps are planned for later this year.

Greener choices

“Customers are wanting to transition to HVO rather than diesel – people are consciously wanting to make greener choices to reduce their energy consumption and energy costs.

“In some ways it’s all about changing hearts and minds. Consider how people’s attitudes and therefore behaviour have changed since the smoking ban, or the plastic bag ban – now that people know what’s at stake, they are preparing and planning to make changes to how they fuel their homes, their cars and their businesses.

Certa’s network of 39 unmanned, pay@pump forecourts is the largest of its kind in Ireland. It also operates 22 home heating depots across the country.

Major events are also sourcing cleaner, greener options – for example Certa supplied HVO to the National Ploughing Championships, Electric Picnic and golf’s Irish Open .

“In my view, HVO is the way to go – it’s the perfect transition product. It doesn’t require any modification for the vehicle, and there’s a straight 90% reduction in emissions” said Andrew. “As technology develops, we will likely see more options in terms of fuels and hydrogen.”

At the moment, there is no refinery in Ireland for hydrogenated vegetable oil – so the product is sourced from Europe, and the feedstock  is mainly from waste cooking oils.

Carbon Action Plan

Certa’s mission and modus operandi dovetails neatly in many ways with the Irish Government’s Climate Action Plan 2021. It provides a detailed plan for taking decisive action to achieve a 51% reduction in overall greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and setting the country on a path to reach net-zero emissions by no later than 2050, as committed to in the Programme for Government and set out in the Climate Act 2021.

In that respect, the company is way ahead of the game – striving ahead in its mission to provide the country with alternative energy solutions – with no finer man at the helm to make a difference for the future of us all, and most importantly, to create a cleaner, greener environment for future generations.

The post Certa – Leading by Example appeared first on Ireland's Forecourt & Convenience Retailer.

The first three forecourts have begun sales, with HVO now available at Inver Fermoy in Co. Cork, Inver Johnstown in Co. Kilkenny and Inver Castletroy in Co. Limerick with further sites to follow. HVO fuel purchases can be made with Inver’s fuel card, which operates across the DCI network.

John O’Leary, Managing Director, said: ‘We are committed to providing our customers with a range of low carbon fuels that will help them reduce their carbon emissions and help support Ireland’s decarbonisation targets. Making HVO available at forecourts marks a significant step in meeting the rising demands for reliable supply of low carbon fuels closer to our customers.’

Inver Energy

Inver Energy has been operating in the Irish market for more than 30 years and is a national importer of fuel products supplying a wide range of customers from local forecourts to large industrial businesses.  Leveraging its existing infrastructure, Inver is extending its existing offering of low carbon fuels to help reduce transport emissions.

Inver Energy is part of the Greenergy Group, Europe’s largest manufacturer of waste-based biodiesel, and an established supplier and distributor of transportation fuels with a proven track record as a low-cost supplier delivering highly reliable customer service.

 What is HVO?

Hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) is a biofuel made by hydrotreating vegetable oil, animal oils and fat. Also known as renewable diesel, HVO can reduce emissions by up to 90% compared to regular diesel.  It can also be used as a replacement to diesel without engine and machinery modification.

What is the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO)?

The Renewable Energy Directive II (RED II) is regulated by the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) and obligates suppliers to meet biofuel blend percentages in transport fuels. Currently set at 16.985% by energy content with further plans to increase, the obligation must be met through the adoption of various biofuels, such as biodiesel and HVO.

All HVO marketed by Inver is sourced from auditable and certified supply chains and comply with the International Sustainability & Carbon Certifications (ISCC) scheme and National and European fuel standards, and all carbon reductions resulting from the use of HVO supplied by Inver will count towards Ireland’s national targets for transport emissions reductions.

The post Inver Energy rolls out HVO at selected forecourts appeared first on Ireland's Forecourt & Convenience Retailer.

Sisk is the first construction business in Ireland to mandate the switch to HVO across all sites, supplied by Certa.

HVO is a fossil-free biofuel typically made by reacting waste vegetable oils and animal fats with hydrogen to create fuel suitable for use in diesel engines.

The switch to HVO will deliver Sisk a 90% reduction in CO2e and 85% reduction in other harmful emissions such as particulate matter.

The amount of diesel that Sisk uses annually emits 3,000 tonnes of CO2, which accounts for 60% of its scope 1 carbon emissions.

Sisk was the first construction business in the UK to utilise this sustainable fuel at its Northstowe project in Cambridgeshire for its client, Homes England. This project used circa 1.5 m litres of HVO.

In April, 100% of site fuel procured by Sisk projects in the UK was HVO. As a result, carbon emissions of Sisk UK operations have been reduced by 36%.

The business is also exploring a switch to HVO and similar supply arrangements for its European projects.

Ian O’Connor, energy manager, John Sisk & Son said: “Our transition to HVO is a major strategic step change and it will positively impact our carbon performance immediately. We estimate a 60% reduction of our Scope 1 emissions when the entire company is using this fuel.

“We have set ourselves ambitious targets to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030 and this is another important milestone on the journey. We will continue to monitor new technologies and innovation to ensure we are at the forefront of clean and efficient sustainable solutions.”

Andrew Graham, managing director, Certa Ireland said: “We are delighted to be supplying Sisk with our ground-breaking GD+ HVO product. This is a great opportunity to facilitate Sisk in their journey to achieve Net Zero by 2030.”

The post Sisk becomes first contractor in Ireland to switch to HVO fuel across all sites appeared first on Ireland's Forecourt & Convenience Retailer.

The company is part of DCC plc, a leading international sales, marketing and support services group, which launched its new Leading With Energy strategy in May 2022.

As well as fuelling its own fleet with the low carbon diesel alternative, the UK’s leading fuel distributor has launched HVO delivery to businesses across the UK.

The drop-in renewable fuel is also available at selected Certas Energy refuelling sites, including its Thurrock HGV refuelling site – making Certas Energy the first in the UK to offer HVO fuel to HGV fuel card users at the pump. The company has plans to roll out supply across more of its nationwide network of HGV refuelling sites over the coming months.

HVO is a drop-in diesel alternative that offers a cleaner way to fuel commercial on and off-road fleets than traditional red or white diesel, with no engine modifications required. The roll-out of HVO across Certas Energy’s extensive network underpins the company’s commitment to supporting UK businesses on their transition journey to net zero.

Niki Holt, Head of Commercial at Certas Energy, said: “Our nationwide HVO offering marks a major milestone for our company and, more importantly, our customers.leading with energy The renewable diesel alternative provides an immediate and simple carbon reduction benefit for businesses working towards cleaner operations – it’s simply drop in and go.

“This seamless fuel change means diesel-dependent industries can make a smooth, frictionless transition and realise significant sustainability benefits, without delay or disruption. We are proud to be leading with energy by offering a viable route for businesses looking to lower their carbon footprint, today.”

Certas Energy  is also adopting the fuel across its own delivery fleet. Following a successful trial at two depots, which saw almost 1,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions cut from operations in just one year, Certas Energy is already well on the way to rolling out HVO across its 900-strong fleet.

With industry forecasts predicting significant demand for renewable diesel over the coming years, Certas Energy has already committed significant investment to expand its offer. The transition to HVO is one of several decarbonisation initiatives implemented by Certas Energy as part of its commitment to both support the UK’s journey to net zero as well as to dramatically reduce its own operational CO2 emissions (50% reduction by 2030).

The post Certas Energy to roll out HVO across the UK appeared first on Ireland's Forecourt & Convenience Retailer.