Trucks and lorries can be green as Tesco paves the way to using biofuels in their distribution network.
According to the Sunday Times, 17 December 2006, Tesco plans to convert its entire fleet of 2000 distribution lorries to bio diesel. Apparently the plan is to convert 3/4 of the fleet from January.
The trucks will run on bio-diesel fuel called B50, which is 50% ordinary diesel mixed with bio-fuel – a renewable fuel made from agricultural crops.
The trucks and lorries are used to transport goods from about 30 Tesco distribution depots to the companies 754 stores and 716 Tesco Express Outlets throughout the UK.
Tesco has also rolled out biodiesel blends at more than 200 of its retail forecourts this year.
The principle behind using bio fuels to power trucks and lorries is simple. Plants are grown and this extracts carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The plants are processed to become diesel fuel and then trucks and lorries use the fuel for power. The consequent carbon dioxide is then absorbed into new plants that are being grown to be processed for fuel.
In principle, there is no net increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to contribute to global warming, if we use bio fuels in our transportation networks.
Large organisations often receive criticism but they also have the capacity to do a lot of good very quickly with such policies.
Rob Hopcott says kudos to Tesco!
