The government has today unveiled a new £32.5 million funding package to help industrial sectors cut reliance on burning red diesel.

Red diesel, also known as gas oil, is a type of fossil fuel commonly used for off-road, heavy-duty vehicles and machinery, such as bulldozers and cranes.

Mining, construction and quarrying businesses are expected to benefit from the latest round of the ‘Red Diesel Competition’ which supports projects that seek to develop red diesel alternatives.

Minister for Energy and Climate Change Graham Stuart said: “These industrial sectors and the jobs they create are crucial to our economy and they also have an important role to play in our shift towards a greener, more secure future.

“This latest round of funding will help to speed up industrial decarbonisation, providing industry and consumers with effective low carbon alternatives to red diesel while boosting green investment to futureproof the resilience of British industry.”