Red Diesel and the new restrictions coming in April 2022
Currently, red diesel can be used in any machine which is not a road vehicle, however from the 1 April 2022 the law on this will change so that rebated fuel use is limited to certain types of vehicles, machines, and appliances when the fuel is used for specific purposes only.
Red diesel will no longer be available at a rebated rate for many commercial applications. This covers the majority of users in the construction industry. The measure will also extend fuel duty to biodiesel, bioblends and fuel substitutes used in heating, applying the rebated duty rate to non-commercial heating and the full rate of duty to commercial heating.
Who can still use Red Diesel?
From April 2022, red diesel can only be used for the following purposes:
- For vehicles and machinery used in agriculture, horticulture, fish farming and forestry. This includes allowing vehicles used for agriculture to be used for cutting verges and hedges, snow clearance and gritting roads
- To propel passenger, freight or maintenance vehicles designed to run on rail tracks
- For heating and electricity generation in non-commercial premises, this includes the hearting of homes and buildings, such as places of worship, hospitals and town halls; off-grid power generation and non-propulsion uses on permanently-moored houseboats
- For maintaining community amateur sports clubs, as well as golf courses (including activities such as ground maintenance, and the heating and lighting of clubhouses and changing rooms)
- As fuel for all marine craft refuelling and operating in the UK (including fishing and water freight industries), except for propelling private pleasure crafts in Northern Ireland
- For powering the machinery (including caravans) of travelling fairs and circuses.
It will no longer be permitted in the construction industry to power diggers and generators, white diesel will now have to be used.
Why is this taking place?
According to the Government website (gov.uk) in June 2019 the UK passed laws, guaranteeing an end to its contribution to global warming by 2050. The target requires the UK to bring all greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. Red diesel is diesel used mainly for off-road purposes, such as to power bulldozers and cranes used in the construction industry, or to power drills for oil extraction. It accounts for around 15% of all the diesel used in the UK and is responsible for the production of nearly 14 million tonnes of carbon dioxide a year.
Preparing for the change
After 1 April 2022 red diesel may not be put into vehicles or appliances which are no longer entitled to use it. Any fuel already in the tank can continue to be used up if it was legally put into the vehicle before 1 April 2022.
Registered fuel suppliers that switch a fuel tank from red to white diesel will need to flush out the tank and supply lines until no trace of marked rebated fuel remains. This will help to ensure compliance and minimise the risk that white diesel that has had the full duty rate paid on it is contaminated with the red diesel marker (gov.uk)
To help prepare for the change, here at Fuel Tank Shop we offer a range of HVO, Diesel tanks and Diesel bowsers.
Diesel Bowsers
Diesel Tanks
HVO Tanks
- 2nd February 2022
