Power company offers ‘carbon neutral’ rentals

UK power rental company Mather + Stuart Generators Ltd is to make all of its shires ‘carbon neutral' by only using carbon offset diesel.

Under a contract with Crown Oil UK, Mather + Stuart will supply its gensets with offset diesel. The diesel is a standard commercial product on which Crown Oil has bought "high quality carbon offsets".

Crown Oil said the offsets support energy conservation projects throughout the world, including the planting of trees to create carbon sinks or programmes to reduce carbon emissions. Crown said these offsets mean that the carbon released by the burning of the diesel is effectively cancelled out.

Mather + Stuart director, Mark Stuart, said; "we believe that this is a big win for the environment and one that distinguishes us from other hire companies."

He said that the company, based in Standish, Wigan and with a fleet of 800 gensets, had considered bio-diesel as an alternative to the use of carbon offset diesel but was rejected for technical and ethical reasons.

"Generators are often a distress hire and the last thing the customer needs is further technical glitches", said Mr Stuart, "Obtaining fuel from what is essentially a food resource also has ethical implications that make us uncomfortable. We are confident that the product and service that we receive from Crown Oil UK will ensure that we can maintain high performance standards that our customers expect".

Mark Andrews, group general manager of Crown Oil said the offset diesel was available for use in any on-site plant; "This may include pumps, site vehicles, excavators, cranes, piling rings and any other site-based plant which qualifies for red diesel."

Mather + Stuart, which also has a division that sells Caterpillar generators, provides power hire services to construction, industry or commercial customers. Since December 2008 it has been 50% owned by the Manchester-based investment group CorpAcq.