Peterhead Port Authority’s commitment to reducing its carbon footprint was further underlined this week with the commissioning of a fully electric road sweeper that will save around 40 tonnes of CO2 on its diesel predecessor.
It is one of the first vehicles of its kind to be deployed at a UK port and will be used to keep the quays, harbour roads, pavements and surroundings clean and tidy.
The Maxvax Electra 2.0 Neo electric sweeper was purchased along with an all-electric Volkswagen utility van for the port with funding from Marine Scotland’s Maritime Fisheries Fund.
PPA chief executive Simon Brebner said: “We were delighted to be granted the funds to move ahead with our strategic drive and are blazing a trail on green travel, reducing our emissions with the first all-electric road sweeper in a UK port, and the all-electric utility van which is being used for transporting berthing crews and carrying out security patrols around the port, further reducing the carbon footprint.
“This greening of our energy use is a very visible part of a long-term strategic drive that began with powering 80% of the port’s electricity requirements through the sourcing of biomass renewable energy and installing solar panels on the new fish market building. We will continue to move ahead with a series of innovations and adaptations.”