Putting the walk into Climate Change talk

Many people may talk about trying to do their bit for the planet, but Mark Irving has gone further, making it his latest career focus.

Trained as a civil engineer who initially made his mark in Australian property development and construction, Mark has taken his particular interest in new business development six years ago to focus on making a difference in the world. “It was really just a case of deciding to go in deep to find some realistic solutions to lowering our carbon footprint,” he says.

With that he jointly established Heavy Vehicle and Machinery Services (HVMS) in Tauranga, offering cost effective, practical solutions to transport fleet operators wanting to decarbonise by means of electric drive and hybrid fuel vehicles.

Mark’s substantial network of sustainable, low carbon energy links has grown to include working with Durapower, a leading Singapore based international battery manufacturer. “With this comes huge opportunity to bring industry leading battery solutions to New Zealand for vehicles, marine and industrial energy storage needs.”

He has also worked closely with Hiringa Energy, NZ’s first commercial hydrogen producer, as it establishes a hydrogen refuelling network throughout New Zealand.

More recently he has become a major shareholder of CRDC (NZ) Limited, a subsidiary of Costa Rica based company CRDC Global, with proven technology to convert all seven plastic types into an “aggregate substitute” capable of being added to concrete, replacing up to 10 percent of conventional aggregate. “There is some very exciting tech out there globally that can be rapidly implemented here, we don’t always have to re-invent the wheel in NZ.

“Things are moving quickly, and it’s great to be playing a major part bringing some of this tech to Australasia and south-east Asia.”

HVMS steps up for green energy options

With full electric and hydrogen options for heavy vehicle still some years away, Bay of Plenty based company HVMS has focused on bringing affordable, low carbon heavy vehicle solutions to New Zealand fleet operators.

HVMS, established by Mark Irving, Scott Hale and Richard Gatward in 2022 has developed strong international relationships with leading tech manufacturers and suppliers, ensuring they are well positioned to lead New Zealand’s efforts in keeping pace with the rapid decarbonisation initiatives globally.

This includes HVMS signing a memorandum of understanding with Canadian based company DTI, Diesel Tech Industries, including an exclusive sales and installation agency throughout Australasia, Pacific Islands and S.E Asia. “DTI have developed a hybrid fuel solution, the Guardian Hydrogen-Diesel system. It is cutting edge dual fuel tech that combines hydrogen and diesel, lowering emissions and enabling operators to repurpose their existing diesel assets,” he says.

As the world rushes to try and decarbonise transport fleets, one of the biggest challenges is the sheer capital cost of changing vehicles, something the DTI technology goes a long way to address.

“The DTI – HVMS hybrid solution, is a system capable of running on dual fuel, without demanding major, costly vehicle upgrades or new vehicle acquisition. This application appears to be resonating best with our fleet owners”.

As transport fleets globally decarbonise, Mark says the trend is for smaller vehicles including cars and urban delivery vans to trend to battery powered solutions. “For long haul transport, port related applications and those demanding 24/7 operation, hydrogen is emerging as the preferred option”.

The strong international links built by HVMS also extend to another recent contract signed with Thailand’s nationally owned oil company PTTEP.

Working collaboratively with NZ low carbon design experts Global Bus Ventures, HVMS has delivered a generic fuel cell conversion design for PTTEP’s fleet of 3000 tanker trucks, with the first prototype scheduled for manufacture in Rolleston, August 2024.

HVMS has developed a significant, highly skilled team, able to deliver hybrid fuel and electric conversions across Australasia.

The pressure and momentum to decarbonise fleets is growing, and with it a need to deliver readily available, competitive and realistic solutions to transport operators.”