Certa opens Ireland’s first HVO biofuel station in Liffey Valley

Published on 19 October, 2023

Diesel alternative to get equal status across 41 forecourts

Overview

Certa, a fuel supplier and a division of DCC plc, has made history by opening Ireland's first 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.

Situated in Liffey Valley, Certa's new "Forecourt of the Future" represents an investment exceeding €1 million and marks a significant milestone in offering Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) alongside conventional diesel and unleaded petrol at all its pumps.

HVO, derived from waste plant matter, serves as a direct diesel replacement without necessitating any vehicle or engine modifications, enabling motorists to reduce their carbon emissions by up to 90%.

Certa is actively transforming its network of 41 unmanned "pay@pump" forecourts, with the first upgraded locations set to open in Clarehall, Clearwater, Ballymount, Ashbourne, and Drogheda by year's end.

Andrew Graham, Managing Director of Certa Ireland, expressed the company's commitment to making HVO accessible and supporting the reduction of carbon emissions: "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."

"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 marked another significant milestone, becoming the first fuel supplier in Ireland to display HVO pricing on its forecourt pricing totems, matching HVO pricing with diesel at its Liffey Valley location and committing to 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," stated Mr. Graham.

In a further effort to reduce its carbon footprint, Certa is introducing a comprehensive plan for its entire network of 41 forecourts to generate their own power from solar energy. This initiative follows the recent acquisition of Alternative Energy Ireland, a leading solar and renewable energy specialist. Solar PV panels have already been installed at five of its forecourts.

The newly opened Certa forecourt in Liffey Valley features 66 solar PV panels to 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 emissions annually.

Certa's decision to place HVO on equal footing with other fuels follows the successful opening of a standalone HVO pump at the Certa Lee Tunnel forecourt in Cork earlier this year. Furthermore, Certa is transitioning its entire fleet of 100 delivery vehicles from diesel to HVO, a low-carbon biofuel.

Certa has also been at the forefront of aiding leading businesses and events in decarbonizing and transitioning to HVO as a renewable fuel. Notable collaborators include Amazon Web Service (AWS), John Sisk & Son Ltd., M50 Truck and Van Centre, The National Ploughing Championships, the Irish Open, and Electric Picnic.

The construction of the new Certa forecourt in Liffey Valley was carried out using HVO to fuel all machinery. The site's development includes a dedicated Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) lane, demonstrating Certa's commitment to serving HGV drivers and businesses dedicated to using HVO as their fuel of choice.

Sinead McCann

Sinéad is our resident car tester who has the unenviable (-ok, slightly enviable) task of reviewing all the latest new cars to hit the market. You can follow her on Twitter @smcani and on Instagram @whatshedrives