Decarbonising blue light services for a net zero future

The UK needs to step up its efforts to meet ambitious net zero targets including decarbonising blue light services. These critical services must remain operationally resilient. With climate change intensifying the frequency of emergencies, these services are not only at the forefront of protecting communities but also bear a responsibility to lead by example in reducing their environmental impact. The vast fleets and extensive estates of blue light services – pose unique challenges in achieving this transition.

Fleet decarbonisation

Blue light services operate essential vehicles 24/7 across the UK, including approximately 48,000 police vehicles, 9,500 fire service vehicles, and 8,500 ambulance vehicles. These vehicles, primarily powered by fossil fuels, contribute to public sector emissions. Transitioning to electric or ultra-low-emission vehicles (ULEVs) across emergency fleets will be necessary if we’re to achieve the government’s goal of reducing emissions by 78% by 2035 and reaching net zero by 2050.

With the Labour government pledging to restore the 2030 ban on the sale of new internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, blue light services that do not begin the decarbonisation process (installing or negotiating access to charge points and electrifying their fleets) now could find themselves in a serious quandary – being unable to charge or maintain an electric fleet, whilst simultaneously not being able to purchase new ICE vehicles. This is not just a Net Zero issue, but a critical operational one.

Some emergency services are already making strides toward electrification. For instance, London Ambulance Service has introduced fully electric ambulances and 56 charging stations. The electric units join the largest emergency fleet of fully EVs in the country, totalling 42 fast-response cars and three electric motorcycles, demonstrating the viability of EVs in blue light operations.

The unique demands of emergency services – such as the 24/7 nature of services, the need for long-range, reliability, fast charging between shifts and the ability to support life-saving equipment – mean that scaling this across all services remains a significant hurdle. There are many factors to consider including the cost and availability of suitable vehicles, and the costs of installing or accessing suitable charging infrastructure in the right places to best support operational need.

A detailed understanding about how and where individual services and vehicle types are operating is needed to make sure that blue light vehicles can charge in the places they need to at the times they need to, preferably at the cheapest rates available. When the public are counting on swift responses, emergency vehicles cannot be out of service or held up as they are not able to charge. 

Infrastructure and investment

Transitioning to electric fleets will require significant planning and investment in charging infrastructure. Depending on the site, investment in electricity grid upgrades may also be needed. Most emergency services, however, are still in the early stages of their transition. Sharing charging infrastructure through collaborative partnerships, both within the emergency services and with external partners such as local authorities and private sector charging operators, can reduce the financial burden on individual organisations and provide coverage across a greater geographic spread.

Decarbonising estates

Fleet decarbonisation is crucial, but it is only part of the solution. Emergency services also operate extensive estates, including police stations, fire stations and ambulance depots, which consume large amounts of energy, particularly for heating. Many of these buildings are old and inefficient, in need of maintenance, with outdated heating systems reliant on fossil fuels, whilst the estate managers and emergency services themselves are confronting budget limitations. Retrofitting these buildings with low carbon heating technologies, such as heat pumps, presents a significant challenge but is essential for reducing emissions.

One critical challenge is the increase in electricity demand for both heat decarbonisation, (moving from fossil fuel boilers to heat pumps for buildings) alongside increased demand for EV charging, and potentially newer more innovative power-hungry technologies such as artificial intelligence. These challenges must be considered alongside each other, and sites should seek to develop a plan that considers all future electricity demand. 

If future energy demand for technology, vehicle charging and buildings is not considered together, organisations risk not having enough electrical capacity on site for their operations, or they could be forced to pay to upgrade grid connections more than once. Coordinated, early engagement with distribution network operators (DNOs) is crucial to ensuring the grid can meet the rising demand and maintain reliable service for emergency operations.

Collaborative approaches and investment

Achieving net zero emissions across the blue light sector requires a coordinated effort at both national and local levels. Dedicated funding for decarbonisation initiatives, alongside strategic partnerships, will be key to enabling the emergency services to implement these changes effectively. Collaborative efforts are already beginning to take shape, such as the Blue Light Commercial initiative, which aims to streamline procurement processes and share best practices across emergency services.

In addition to financial support, greater collaboration and knowledge sharing are crucial. Many emergency service organisations are facing similar challenges (and indeed similar challenges to the wider public sector) and would benefit from working together on joint initiatives to overcome the financial and logistical hurdles.

Decarbonising the fleets and estates of the UK’s emergency services is a complex but necessary task. With the right investment, collaboration, and strategic planning, the UK can lead the way in sustainable emergency services, ensuring that blue light fleets and estates not only meet their operational demands but also contribute to a greener future.

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The industry will once again be gathering at the NEC, Birmingham for The Emergency Services Show, co located with The Emergency Tech Show on 18-19 September, check out the full exhibitor list here. 

Join us at the Sustainability Stage to hear Stephanie speak about making energy savings and cutting emissions across blue light estates. More information can be found here.