Al Wegdaniyah Transport Solutions switches to Neutral Fuels' biodiesel for fleet operations

Gary Hubbard, chief commercial officer, Neutral Fuels (Photo: Neutral Fuels)

As normal life begins to resume after the COVID-19 lockdown, Al Wegdaniyah Transport Solutions is switching from fossil fuel to Neutral Fuels' biodiesel for the fleet of buses it uses for staff transportation services and mall shuttles. Al Wegdaniyah, which has an enormous fleet of vehicles, has been serving the rental and leasing needs of corporate UAE for more than 10 years.

"We maintain our leadership position by adopting the latest technologies, not just in our vehicles but in our operations too," said Mohamed Lashin, general manager of Al Wegdaniyah Transport. "In this case we'll be using a very modern fuel to support our clients' wishes to reduce the carbon footprint of their road operations."

Al Wegdaniyah clients include Emirates Airline staff who are collected and delivered across Dubai 24/7. It also runs shuttle buses for shopping malls such as Nakheel Mall and The Pointe, and hotels such as Palazzo Versace and Jood Palace.

Karl Feilder, CEO of Neutral Fuels, said that Al Wegdaniyah should be admired for its carbon-saving initiatives. "They have put many initiatives in place to reduce the road transport carbon footprint of their clients," he said. "These include using more fuel-efficient vehicles, optimizing trip planning to reduce the number of routes and empty trips, and teaching fuel-efficient driving practices. Now they're making their most significant change by switching to biofuel."

This is in line with the energy-related sustainability goals the UAE has committed to achieving by 2050: cutting CO2 emissions by 70 percent and increasing clean energy use by 50 percent. Feilder said that using net-zero biofuel is the quickest and easiest way for any company to radically reduce its carbon footprint.

"Biofuel immediately reduces greenhouse gases and other pollutants," Feilder said. "If companies with transportation fleets gave up fossil fuels in favor of clean, green biofuel, this would have the maximum impact on reducing CO2 in the environment."

The change is very easily made because switching from fossil fuel to biodiesel requires no modification to diesel engines. It also has a positive effect on engines because its lubricating properties help prevent premature wear and failure. It even acts as a detergent in fuel systems by removing sludge deposits, which improves efficiency and reduces maintenance costs.