The Ministry of Transport have announced that as from today, two buses from the Gibraltar Bus Company will be running partly on Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (HVO) fuel as part of a trial for alternative fuels use for Public Service Vehicles. 

A statement from the Government follows below:

HVO fuel can be used on its own or as a blend and the main benefit of using it as fuel is reduced  carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions, along with improved engine performance and less build  up of carbon within the engine itself. Another advantage is that no alterations or mechanical work is  required in order to use this fuel. 

For this trial, a blend of 50% HVO and 50% diesel will be used, which will result in a 45% reduction  in green house gas emissions. 

After the trial, the Ministry of Transport will review the performance of the buses along with driver  and passenger experience before making a decision on its feasibility as an alternative fuel for GBCL. 

Minister for Transport and the Environment John Cortes said, “This is one more step in reducing  emissions, improving air quality and making transport in Gibraltar more sustainable. Together with  the recent improvements to the Citibus fleet, it shows our commitment to this. I am very pleased that  we have made these significant strides in achieving our environmental targets”.