First Bus depots in York, Leicester and Norwich have been verified net zero-emission, some of the first in the UK to achieve the milestone.
The depots, which run fully electric commercial bus fleets, have all invested in the necessary additional carbon reduction requirements to claim the net zero status.
Achieving the goal has meant going a step beyond eliminating fleet tailpipe emissions by accounting for other direct operational emissions associated with each site.
This includes the energy used to power depots and ancillary vehicles.
Net zero was achieved by reducing Scope 1 and 2 emissions by more than 90% compared to a baseline (FY20), and residual emissions (less than 10%) have been offset through supporting Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) carbon removals projects.
Carbon Footprint, an environmental consultancy, reviewed and verified the three depots.
First Bus has removed the on-site diesel refuelling tank at York and replaced the depot gas heating systems at the three sites with electric heating.
Also, it has installed solar PV panels on depot roofs, adopting energy efficiency measures in each building, as well as buying 100% renewable electricity.
This net zero blueprint will be used across the First Bus estate to achieve the wider business commitment of net zero emissions by 2050 or earlier.
Dr Wendy Buckley, Client Director at Carbon Footprint, said: “First Bus is a clear leader in public transport innovation and one of the first to achieve net zero operations across three of its sites – we can’t wait to see further sites achieve this status in the future.”
