Canada’s TransLink is introducing renewable diesel into its bus fleet as a cleaner fuel option to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Renewable diesel comes from organic waste, such as used cooking oil or waste animal fats, or vegetable oils.

As a low-carbon fuel, renewable diesel offers an 80% reduction in GHG emissions compared to fossil fuel diesel.

TransLink’s Renewable Diesel Transition

The Surrey Transit Centre will be the first bus depot to transition and will be fully fueled with renewable diesel by Jan. 1, 2024.

With this change, TransLink will be reducing total greenhouse gas emissions by 6,550 tons, or 5%, of the agency’s total emissions — the equivalent of removing 1,900 passenger vehicles off the road.

“The time to take climate action is now,” says TransLink CEO Kevin Quinn. “By introducing renewable diesel to our bus fleet, we’re doing our part to move away from fossil fuels. Renewable diesel will deliver rapid GHG reductions while we work to electrify our fleet.”

The Benefits of Renewable Diesel

Implementing renewable diesel will help TransLink achieve specific goals outlined in the Climate Action Strategy, including reducing GHGs 45% by 2030 (from 2010 levels). TransLink remains committed to moving to a zero-emission fleet by 2040.

Additional transit centers are planned to be converted to renewable diesel beginning next year. The use of renewable diesel as a fuel source for the West Coast Express and SeaBus is also being studied.

With an expanding SkyTrain network, and a fleet of 280 trolley-electric and battery-electric buses, TransLink provides a robust network of zero-emissions transportation options for customers.

The first all-electric transit center — located at Marpole in Vancouver — is under construction and will be completed by 2027. TransLink will deploy a total of 460 battery-electric buses by 2030.