Dundee University is driving into the future after taking delivery of two electric vans.
The new arrivals will be seen on campus and the surrounding streets as the institution attempts to cut its carbon footprint.
Until now security and catering services at the university have relied on diesel vans to conduct their business. It is claimed the introduction of the electric vans, which emit no CO2, will represent a carbon saving of almost five tonnes every year.
Although the cost of fuel continues to hurt many families and businesses across the country, Trudy Cunningham, environment and sustainability officer at Dundee University, insists that purchase of the vehicles has been driven by environmental concerns.
She said: ”The main reason for buying the vans was environmental rather than cost. It does only cost around 20p for a full charge but it could be cheaper than that as we have our own power plant.
”The old vans were doing about 17,000 miles a year so this will make a significant carbon saving. The only problem that we have with the vans is that they’re so quiet people can’t hear them.”
The new vans arrived in time for Green Week five days of events encouraging students and staff at the university to become more ecologically aware.
Events took place across the campus this week, backed by the Dundee University Students’ Association and the university’s Enterprise Gym.
Colin McNally, director of campus services, said the vans, along with the construction of a thermal heat store to recover energy from power generators on campus, was a major investment in the university’s green credentials.
”We are committed to reducing our carbon footprint and these initiatives are steps in the right direction which demonstrate our commitment to making the university as environmentally friendly as it possibly can be,” he said.