How Convert2Green use recycled waste vegetable oil to produce a range of bio-fuels for use in vehicle fleets and to drive heat and power systems.

Background

Companies are moving from a reactive to proactive approach to managing carbon effectively, measuring and assessing every element of the supply chain for opportunities to reduce their emissions, from sourcing and production, to distribution and product afterlife. A significant percentage of a company’s carbon footprint comes from transport and logistics, so it is here that the biggest difference can be made.

Convert2Green and 3663 are both committed to creating a sustainable future by minimising their impact on the environment. Convert2Green by nature of its business and ethos and 3663 as the first, and only, food service company to achieve a corporate ISO 14001 certified environmental management system in every site nationally.

The two companies saw an opportunity to work in partnership, to reduce waste and create large carbon savings within the food industry.

In a virtuous circle, Convert2Green collects waste cooking oil from 3663 suppliers and customers and then processes this oil in to bio-fuel. This is returned to 3663 to power their delivery fleet.

This sustainable fuel, based on an otherwise waste product, combined with sustainable production processes by Convert2Green, delivers to 3663 a carbon saving of 85% in their carbon emissions, at a net benefit over administration and infrastructure costs.
 

How the issue was tackled

Waste cooking oil usually ends up in landfill or is flushed down the drain, causing major impact and cost to the environment. However, this initiative means that the oil is collected from 3663 suppliers or customers, processed to bio-fuel by Convert2Green and delivered back to 3663 for use in their delivery fleet.

The biofuel initiative began in 2007 and required ‘top down’ support from 3663, made possible by the vision of Fred Barnes, Chief Executive of 3663 who has often said that “sustainability is an inherent part of our DNA at 3663”. The company saw this as a vital way to support its commitment to environmental management.

The initiative was then driven forward by 3663 Fleet Director, Graham Rennie, and Andrew Webb, Commercial Director of Convert2Green, enabling 3663 to offer a fully sustainable delivery service. Now over 80% of 3663’s fleet is run on bio-fuel blends, serving 40,000 catering outlets, including schools and hospitals.

The plan is to continue extending the initiative throughout the fleet and to look at the use of bio-fuel driven heat and power systems for 3663.
  

Benefits and impacts

Because the fuel is made from an otherwise waste product, it is fully sustainable and removes the partners completely from the food for fuel debate.

Fuel miles are kept to the minimum, as Convert2Green are purely UK-based and do not import or export oil.
Bio-fuel is used by Convert2Green both for heat and power in their plant and production process and also to fuel their collection and delivery vehicles. This carbon saving is handed on, through the supply chain, to 3663.

In the past two years, Convert2Green has supplied over 4 million litres of bio-fuel to 3663, which has saved the equivalent of over 10,000 MT of CO2. This is measured through a comparison of carbon measure attached to a litre of mineral diesel vs a litre of bio-fuel. This translates to an 85% saving in lifecycle carbon emissions against the use of mineral fuels.

The carbon management value is passed through the supply chain, so that the carbon emissions benefit of Convert2Green’s production and distribution system is passed on to 3663. In turn, this benefit is passed on through the supply chain to customers such as Nando’s who then continue to benefit, experiencing up to 90% carbon savings.

3663 is currently progressing its ISO14064 programme, which measures emissions of greenhouse gases, and the bio-fuel initiative has already shown a significant contribution to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
 

Advice to others

Convert2Green, through its dedicated commitment to excellence, has already become one of the top five leading bio-fuel producers in the UK. To be working on such a high calibre initiative as this with major food wholesaler/distributor 3663, represents a huge achievement and major step towards a massive reduction in carbon emissions not only regionally, but nationally.

In a politically fast changing environment, the leading edge expertise Convert2Green offers its partners ensures they are always fully informed and able to sustain their successful carbon management initiatives, and deliver their green commitments.

The development of work beyond road transport fuels to bio-fuel driven heat and power solutions means that Convert2Green partners will not only reduce their carbon emissions, but can become net exporters of sustainable energy to the national grid.

The partnership between Convert2Green and 3663, its suppliers and customers proves that with an innovative approach to carbon management, greening the supply chain is not a ‘nice to have’ – we can’t afford not to.

Related links

• Convert2Green
  Convert2Green is a leading bio-energy company, working with organisations in both the public and private sectors
   
• 3663 First for Foodservice
  3663 First for Foodservice is the UK’s leading foodservice company with sales of over £1 billion a year

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