A fire service in Ireland has launched the first fire apparatus (Ireland calls them appliances) in the world combining state-of-the-art software with hydro-treated vegetable oil (HVO), irishcentral.com reported.
The €462,000 engine ($513,000 U.S. dollars), built locally over six months in Tullow by HPMP Fire Ltd, was revealed Aug. 28, 2024. The first emergency service vehicle in Ireland powered by HVO, it will be ready to respond to emergencies by early September, the report said.
The initiative ties in with Carlow County Council’s Climate Action Plan, which aims to reduce county emissions by 51 percent and increase energy efficiency in the public sector to 50 percent by 2030, according to the report.
The rig’s speed, acceleration, and overall performance are on par with a regular diesel equivalent, the report said.
HVO is considered a green fuel, as it is manufactured from renewable waste food oils and animal fats, is biodegradable and can reduce emissions by up to 90 percent, according to the report.
Carlow County Fire Service in Ireland made the following Facebook post, pointing out some of the highlights of the new apparatus (appliance):
The appliance will emit up to 95% less carbon emissions than regular engines while maintaining the same performance.
The first of its kind vehicle sustainability features include:
- Hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) fuel for reduced carbon emissions.
- Real-time monitoring software to track water and foam use per incident.
- Cloud-based analytics to monitor fuel consumption and carbon savings.
- Automatic engine shutdown conserving energy in extended idle periods.
- Integrated solar panels to harness renewable energy.
- The solar panels power the onboard auxiliary batteries, which in turn operate the road traffic collision cutting tools, eliminating the need for noisy and polluting petrol-powered engines.
- Solar panels provide power for the blue flashing warning lights, enabling the engine to be switched off when not in use, resulting in increased energy efficiency.
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