Lely strives towards circular dairy farming. The same ambition is in place for our own products and services. To set a good example we are raising the bar in sustainability:  a program has been started in which Lely commits to be carbon neutral in its own operations by 2030. We bundled initiatives from different departments and expertise to create a series called Sustainability Stories. With these stories we showcase our sustainable and circular projects. In this story we highlight the usage of HVO100 fuel.

We spoke with Arjen Bakker, Head of Supply Chain at Lely.

Sustainable diesel fuel

HVO stands for “Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil” and is the most sustainable diesel fuel at the moment. It is made from used vegetable oils and residual waste such as animal fats. This makes HVO a completely renewable, fossil-free and low-emission alternative to traditional diesel. Driving on HVO diesel offers big advantages in terms of sustainability, with a CO2 reduction of 85% and a lower emission of harmful Particulate matter, NOx, CO and soot. Also, existing diesel vehicles do not require technical adjustments for the use of HVO. Arjen: “The transition to HVO was a collective decision and underlines the Supply Chain Design principles about our carbon footprint and sustainability, but also improving the entire chain.”

Starting with 2 routes

We started driving on HVO in May 2022. Lely is switching to HVO100 fuel for the following routes: all Kasteel Metaal commute routes between Sassenheim and Alphen aan den Rijn and pick-up routes by De Graaf Logistics between Oosterhout and Maassluis, for collecting parts and electronics. Reports on usage and savings are submitted monthly in the MBR. Arjen: “The main goal of this experiment is to save CO2 emissions, but also to gain experience and to determine a template for our saving report.” We estimated a saving of 162.263 kg in CO2 emissions. After 6 and 12 month there will be a moment of evaluation to measure our progress and determine the next steps. Eventually we would like to have a monthly HVO100 report with details on refueling and lowering emissions.” Lely, Kasteel Metaal and DHB Logistiek will further examine the feasibility and possibilities for electric trucks in the near future.