Farnek to use Neutral Fuels biodiesel blend in UAE fleet

Photo: Farnek

Farnek, a leading facilities-management company based in the United Arab Emirates, has signed a partnership agreement with Dubai-headquartered Neutral Fuels to reduce the amount of carbon emissions generated by its transport fleet.

Farnek has made a commitment to transition to Neutral Fuels’ B7 biodiesel blend, which saves 6.14 percent of carbon emissions in comparison to using regular diesel.

So, for every 100,000 liters (26,417 gallons) of B7 biodiesel used, there is a saving of 21,170 kilograms of CO2e.

“To put that into perspective,” said Markus Oberlin, CEO of Farnek, “it is equivalent to the amount of carbon that would be removed from the environment by planting 350 saplings and grown for over a decade. It is not feasible for many companies with hundreds of vehicles, traveling thousands of kilometers a day, to replace their transport fleet with electric vehicles. Biofuel is a cost-effective and sustainable alternative.”

Neutral Fuels, which is the largest producer of biofuel in the Gulf region, collects waste cooking oil from local restaurants and kitchens and chemically transforms it into fatty acid methyl esters (commonly called biodiesel), a commercially viable drop-in replacement for the high-carbon footprint of fossil fuel normally used in diesel engines.

Neutral Fuels’ biodiesel is a clean, green renewable fuel that immediately and significantly reduces transport carbon emissions without any engine modifications, enabling organizations to reduce their contribution to climate change.

“Our partnership reflects the commitment of both Neutral Fuels and Farnek towards sustainable business practices,” said Karl W. Feilder, founder and chief technology officer of Neutral Fuels. “It promotes the use of biodiesel as a clean-burning and renewable substitute for petroleum diesel, is an excellent example of circular economy within the UAE, significantly reduces environmental impacts and enhances energy security. Together this partnership will further the widespread adoption of biofuels by increasing awareness and encouraging other corporate sustainability initiatives throughout the region.”

Farnek will use Neutral Fuel’s B7 biofuel, which fully complies with the UAE diesel standard UAE S. 477: 2021 in conjunction with its innovative FLEETEK solution, which digitalizes the entire fleet-management process.

It identifies both fleet and driver productivity in real time using a system-based inventory and digital schedule, which is powered by IoT sensors fitted to the vehicles and connected with Google Maps to enable tracking and navigation for route optimization.

“This saves fuel, cuts carbon emissions even further, as well as reduces wear and tear on the fleet, prolonging the time between servicing and ultimately its operational life, which all benefit the environment,” Oberlin added.

The agreement also complements Farnek’s net-zero roadmap, which aims to reduce the company’s transportation emissions by up to 50 percent by 2031.

“To realize our net-zero strategy, we are committed to making responsible decisions, such as implementing low-carbon technologies and resources,” said Muna Al Nahdi, head of sustainability and consultancy at Farnek. “This will help to transform our business into a progressive and sustainable model.”