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The trade body is aiming to decarbonise the wholesale food supply chain and achieve net-zero emissions by 2045. The first phase of the Decarbonisation of the Wholesale Industry Project has seen the SWA examine the emissions associated with its members’ vehicle fleets via a survey. The results will be analysed to calculated individual wholesaler’s carbon footprint.
Colin Smith, SWA chief executive, said: “We will present various options to our members so we can discuss the best way forward on our journey to decarbonisation. In addition, we are in the process of creating a bespoke toolkit to help members calculate, estimate and keep track of their own vehicle fleet emissions.”
The second phase will examine emissions generated from buildings, including warehousing, cold storage and offices, and the energy consumed by them. A questionnaire has been sent out to the membership and the results, combined with those of the first phase, will enable the SWA to calculate the carbon footprint of the wholesale sector in Scotland.
Smaith added: “We are looking at various aspects of decarbonisation and a particular focus of phase 1 was on hydrogen fuel cell (HFC) and electric vehicle (EV) technologies. Phase two, which is shining a spotlight on energy and buildings, is now in progress and it is heartening that many SWA members are already forging ahead with their own plans to make their own fleets and buildings more sustainable and environmentally friendly.”
SWA member Lomond: The Wholesale Food Co will be trialling a fully-electric vehicle in November in the Glasgow area to coincide with the global COP26 climate change conference.
Smith said: “All of this gives SWA a baseline and allows us to draw a route map to net zero for our sector which we will then present to the Scottish government and its agencies, including Transport Scotland, Scottish Enterprise and HIE [Highlands and Islands Enterprise], to hopefully release some of the targeted £109m Scottish government funding set aside for business investment in greener technologies.”
The SWA is working with Arcola Energy, a specialist in hydrogen and fuel cell systems, and East Lothian-based Logan Energy, which designs, commissions, installs and maintains hydrogen refuelling stations.
