In this series of articles, we will be sharing exclusive coverage from APF 2024. 

WHAT do you get when you combine alcohol with a Land Rover? The future of forestry transport, of course. 

Despite sounding like a bad punchline, it was this – a methanol-powered Defender – that attracted plenty of attention when it was unveiled on the eve of APF.

Part of a new Creel Maritime-led ForestBioDrive project, the vehicle has already clocked up 1,000 miles in the forests of northern Scotland during “rigorous testing”, and it is hoped it could provide a perfect ‘stop-gap’ between traditional fuels and all-out electric/hydrogen alternatives. 

“We can get electric and we can get hydrogen power,” Creel's Neil Stoddart said. “The crux of the matter is that all these solutions are double the price. 

Neil says very little modifications were needed to make the Defender run on methanol Neil says very little modifications were needed to make the Defender run on methanol (Image: FJ/AG)

“About six months ago I was put in touch with Willem Baartman [of Laidir Circular Mobility]. He’s been looking for a sector that will take him on. Road going vehicles are covered by all sorts of regulation, whereas forestry is a little bit off piste, and we don’t need the same approval for forestry vehicles. 

“We haven’t had to do any material changes to the Land Rover itself. We went for a 300 TDI. 

The Defender has been rigorously tested in Scotland The Defender has been rigorously tested in Scotland (Image: Supplied)

“We have done 1,000 miles on the forest road, and we have been slowly increasing the methanol mix. We are now running 100 per cent methanol mix. We tested it hard-scale last week, 50 miles of pure offroad. It performed exactly as it did when it was running on diesel. We expect the mpg to be slightly better.” 

Supporters of the project include Ireland's forestry agency, Coillte, Tygris, and Sylvion, but it's not the only interest Creel Maritime has in reducing the sector's carbon footprint. It has also overseen a Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil-powered John Deere forwarder and a scheme that is putting two electric timber trucks through their paces in Scotland. 

On the timber truck trial, Neil said: “We are 12 months in now. Being honest, it’s easy work, but we want to demonstrate, try it, and learn.  They are being loaded with logs every day. The drivers love those trucks." 

Head to our YouTube channel to watch a full version of this interview, which will be published in the coming weeks.