Greater Commitment to Decarbonisation Required says RiverRidge CEO

“Desire alone to reduce our carbon footprint and to ensure a more green and sustainable economy is no longer enough – businesses need to take action and local government should play a role in facilitating change.” Those were the words from RiverRidge CEO, Brett Ross during this year’s North West Future of Energy Conference and Exhibition.

Highlighting the stark impact of inaction, Brett, who was a panellist on ‘The Green Economy’ at the conference, told attendees that all businesses have a responsibility to step up and look for more innovative ways to overcome the current challenges of decarbonising their business, and ensuring the region’s carbon reduction targets are met. Whilst this is challenging, Brett highlighted the opportunities in terms of growth and investment that it presents.

By far the most significant contributor to the waste management sector’s carbon footprint is the process of transporting waste. With a fleet of over 100 vehicles, Brett highlighted how the waste management company is developing carbon reduction opportunities available to it. RiverRidge has, over the last five years, developed a process to extract the methane gas from the waste streams that it collects and convert it into green energy. The aspiration is that this energy will subsequently be used to fuel and decarbonise 75% of its fleet by 2030, and will also enable customers to utilise the biomethane, therefore reducing business energy costs.

The company recently took receipt of its first renewable biogas lorry, which is fuelled by biomethane derived from the food waste that it collects. In addition, the first of three renewable biogas articulated lorries have been purchased, and the vehicle fleet has been upgraded to Euro 6 engines. These actions will allow RiverRidge to dramatically reduce its carbon footprint and contributes to its recently launched ESG strategy, ‘Rethinking Our Future’ and its objective of becoming a more sustainable company.

Brett said that whilst all companies may not be able to make as great a commitment, they can still make small changes that will contribute. He said, “Businesses of any size can evaluate their carbon footprint, identify where their ‘carbon hotspots’ are and identify possible ways of reducing their carbon exposure. Ultimately all private and public bodies will need to develop annual carbon budgets alongside their financial budgets and work towards shrinking their carbon footprint.”

RiverRidge, a disruptor in its sector, has been instrumental in the progress of Northern Ireland’s waste industry since its establishment in 2011. Working with a large number of the region’s councils, the company has played a pivotal role in enabling the achievement of landfill diversion strategies. It developed the region’s first and only waste-to-energy facility, Full Circle Generation; is beginning the second phase of its innovative waste-to-vehicle fuel project and is progressing with its project of converting plastic waste into industrial lubricants and waxes.

The aim of the conference, which was hosted by Londonderry and Letterkenny Chambers of Commerce, was to focus on the opportunities for investment, growth, innovation and job creation, and also address the challenges to business of rising energy costs.

RiverRidge recently took receipt of its first biogas vehicle, which will be fuelled by food waste collected from its waste streams. Pictured is Group Transport Manager, Stephen Thompson with David Hyde, Sales Manager at Macpac Refuse Bodies.