Frith Resource Management (FRM) has been observing the practices and successes of public and private sector companies in providing sustainable, low carbon emission, waste and environmental services vehicles and plant. Operating low carbon emission vehicles (less than 50gCO2/km) provides a good public image, and is a notable step in combating climate change, but needs to be financially and operationally viable.
Low carbon emission vehicles include electric, hydrogen, biofuels, gas (compressed natural gas (CNG), liquid natural gas (LNG)), and hybrid vehicles. Electric vehicles are currently the main focus for waste collection and transport vehicles. Electric RCVs are now becoming relatively well established however electric skip lorries are at an earlier stage of commercial implementation.
The experiences of a number of skip hire operatives in trialling electric skip loader vehicles provide useful lessons. A number of skip hire companies have added 18 and 19 tonne 4x2 electric skip loader vehicles to their fleets. The first units entered service around eighteen months ago which has given sufficient time for operators to see both the advantages and disadvantages of using such vehicles.
The advantages are that the vehicles achieve zero tail pipe emissions which helps reduce localised air emissions where they work and generally has a notable carbon saving versus diesel fuelled equivalents. There is also a buy in from customers having low emission vehicles collecting skip containers from their premises.
There are however reported disadvantages in operating such vehicles which have been experienced by a number of operators across the UK.
One operator in London moved to operating electric skip loader vehicles to transition to zero emission tail pipe vehicles. However, the infrastructure to recharge the vehicles was not there, so the operation of the vehicles was not sustainable in their context. The operator has since returned to operating Euro 6 diesel powered skip loader vehicles. Other operators in London are currently trialling electric skip hire vehicles.
FRM is aware that another operator in the West Midlands trialled electric skip loader vehicles but these examples were reported to only collect c.2 skips before needing recharging. Their equivalent diesel vehicles collect and return up to 16 skips a day. This operator returned the electric vehicle to the chassis supplier and has ordered two Euro 6 diesel vehicles instead.
The main problems which operators may experience when operating electric skip loaders is the powered demand required when the skip loader equipment is in operation. The ‘rev’ requirements have a high demand to provide power to the vehicle’s electric power take off unit. Therefore, this puts a strain on the vehicle’s battery and its operating percentage, potentially leading to the vehicle needing to be recharged at more frequent intervals.
An early adopter in the area of electric skip lorries is Recycle Lives, and now other national operators (e.g. Biffa) are trialling them. Before trialling electric or other alternative fuel vehicles, operatives should calculate the fuel energy demands and prepare a Business Case for the alternative fuel vehicles. This should consider the higher capex and refuelling requirement including the provision of refuelling infrastructure.
FRM is aware that there is currently a lot of research being undertaken into alternative fuels, notably hydrogen with the UK Government Hydrogen Strategy published in 2021 and trials being made into alternative technologies for producing hydrogen (MRW 09/01/24 “Welsh EfW company plans for producing hydrogen of high purity from syngas”), and a hydrogen RCV being trialled in St Helens.
Momentum is clearly gathering in this area, operators and vehicle manufacturers are building on experience elsewhere. We will continue to observe developments with interest. FRM published “Research into sustainable and alternative collection vehicle usage” for the CIWM and ISWA in March 2022.
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