The first fire engine in the world which combines state-of-the-art software with hydrotreated vegetable oil has been rolled out by Carlow Fire Service, with firefighters set to climb aboard the first emergency service vehicle in Ireland, powered by the green fuel HVO, in September.
The world-first ties in with Carlow County Council’s Climate Action Plan, which aims to reduce county emissions by 51 per cent and increase energy efficiency in the public sector to 50 per cent by 2030. The €462,000 engine, built locally over six months in Tullow by HPMP Fire Ltd, will be ready to respond to emergencies by early September.
Preliminary tests on new features were carried out following the vehicle’s arrival in Carlow town in July and training will be conducted during the first week of September. The vehicle was entirely funded by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage through the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management’s Fire Service Capital Programme.
It is also solar-powered, uses vehicle intelligent software – and in addition to the green fuel, will see its carbon footprint slashed by 95% compared to diesel engines. Its speed, acceleration and overall performance is on par with a regular diesel equivalent. Six crew members can travel in the vehicle, which will initially be allocated to Carlow Fire Station.
“We’re extremely proud to be the first in the world to introduce a new generation of climate-friendly fire vehicles,” noted Liam Carroll, Carlow’s Chief Fire Officer. “Carlow Fire Station responds to on average 350 emergency incidents annually and it is exciting to also positively contribute to the community through climate action.”
Last year, the fire service collaborated with HPMP Ltd and Acetech Global (Tullamore) to design, develop and deliver the greenest fire appliance in Ireland. 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 per cent.
The vehicle also has several innovative features to reduce fuel consumption and carbon output. Solar panels on the roof provide power to onboard auxiliary batteries which power the blue lights and charges road traffic collision cutting tools.
