Veolia and Westminster City Council have announced the launch of the "UK's largest" electric refuse collection fleet. The council has invested £20 million in 45 new zero-emission trucks that will

be gradually introduced over the coming weeks. These vehicles draw electric power directly from energy generated by the waste they collect, sourced from an adjacent energy recovery facility.

Westminster City Council plans to replace its entire 80-truck fleet in what they describe as the "biggest decarbonisation programme" undertaken by a UK local authority. The majority of these new vehicles, produced by Dennis Eagle Ltd in Warwick, will be housed at the fully electric depot located at Landmann Way, near Bermondsey.

Operated by Veolia, the London-based council's fleet currently completes 50 million collections annually, and each electric vehicle is expected to save up to 89% CO2e compared to diesel-powered counterparts. In addition to the electric refuse trucks, the fleet also includes 90 electric street cleaning vehicles, ranging from e-bikes to e-sweepers.

Veolia has been instrumental in procuring, designing, and operating the new depot and charging infrastructure, capable of charging 54 vehicles simultaneously. The partnership will utilize smart charging to support the National Grid by receiving power during non-peak times, maximizing local resources, and enhancing the Grid's resilience.

The South East London Combined Heat and Power facility (SELCHP) will supply the site with 3,300MWh of electricity annually via a private wire to charge the electric fleet. Pascal Hauret, Managing Director of Veolia UK Municipal, expressed enthusiasm for this innovative collaboration with Westminster City Council, aiming to deliver a cleaner, greener, and quieter service for residents, businesses, and visitors in the city. The use of waste to power the electric fleet is seen as an exciting innovation, creating a local loop of energy that utilizes local resources to operate essential services sustainably, both now and in the future. Photo by Graham Richardson from Plymouth, England, Wikimedia commons.