What Certas Energy does

Certas Energy is the UK's largest independent fuel distributor, wholly owned by DCC Energy (the downstream energy division of FTSE 250-listed DCC plc). The company delivers domestic heating oil, road diesel, red diesel, kerosene, AdBlue, lubricants, and renewable fuels (HVO, GTL, FAME) to off-grid homeowners, farms, haulage fleets, construction sites, marine operators, public sector bodies, and independent fuel retailers via a network of 80+ local depots and 900+ commercial vehicles nationwide. It has grown primarily by acquiring and absorbing regional independent fuel distributors (Anmer Oils, Carlton Fuels, Severn Fuels, Suffolk County Fuels, W Eves, and others between 2005 and 2018), while more recently extending into renewable energy through the 2022 acquisitions of Next Energy (council-funded energy savings), Centreco (commercial solar), and Freedom Heat Pumps.

The company's product and technology stack spans physical fuel supply, tank storage and telemetry hardware, digital customer platforms, and emerging renewables. FoxRadar provides domestic tank-level monitoring via a mobile app with low-fuel alerts; FuelTrace delivers onboard vehicle telematics for fleet performance; CarbonTrace tracks NOx, CO2 and GHG emissions from fuel card purchases to support regulatory reporting; and FuelTapp, relaunched in 2025, is positioned as the UK's first and only digital fuel card with app-PIN based payment at Certas bunker sites. The 2026 acquisition of the Watling Street truck stop and active promotion of HVO100 indicates an ongoing capital programme to extend low-carbon refuelling infrastructure across the HGV network.

Revenue is generated through four primary streams: fuel product sales (transactional, volume-based), fuel card services (transaction fees and credit arrangements), recurring service plans such as Boiler Care and tank telemetry subscriptions, and hardware sales of solar panels, heat pumps, and fuel tanks. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Customer segments are diversified across domestic, agriculture, transport & logistics, construction, marine, public sector, and fuel station wholesale — with documented depth in agriculture (11,000+ farms, 170 million litres delivered annually) and commercial fleet (900+ accounts). The company reports being the only UK distributor offering HVO at HGV refuelling sites and nationwide HVO delivery, and has obtained EcoVadis Gold (2025), ISO 9001/14001/45001/50001, FORS Silver, Construction Line Gold, and a 4 Star ECO Stars rating.

Name

Certas Energy

Legal name

Certas Energy UK Limited

Website

https://certasenergy.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Certas Energy is the UK's largest independent fuel distributor, delivering heating oil, diesel, HVO renewable diesel, lubricants, fuel cards, tank telemetry, and renewable energy solutions to off-grid homeowners, farms, commercial fleets, construction sites, and public sector customers via 80+ depots and 900+ commercial vehicles. It operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of DCC Energy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fuel Distribution

NAICS

Fuel Dealers (4572), Fuel Dealers (45721), Petroleum Lubricating Oil and Grease Manufacturing (324191)

SIC

Wholesale-Petroleum Bulk Stations & Terminals (5171), Wholesale-Petroleum & Petroleum Products (No Bulk Stations) (5172)

akta.pro primary industry

Branded Fuels Wholesaling & Jobber Distribution (EUALAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Alternative Transportation Fuels Retail (EV Charging, Hydrogen, CNG/LNG, Biofuels Blends) (EUALAIAI), Retail & E-commerce Lubricants Sales (Auto Parts, Quick Lube, Online) (EUALAJAF), Marine Fueling & Engine Fluids Retail (Oil, Additives, Lubricants) (CRAMAIAK)

Keywords

• Fuel distribution services
• Heating oil supply
• Renewable diesel HVO
• Commercial fuel cards
• Fleet management solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Warrington

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Fuel Products: Sale of petroleum products including domestic heating oil, kerosene, diesel/DERV, HVO renewable diesel, red diesel, GTL fuel, industrial heating oil, and lubricants. Products sold to both domestic and commercial customers across multiple sectors.
2. Fuel Cards: Fleet fuel card services providing fuel purchasing, payment security, and fleet fuel management. Revenue from transaction fees and credit arrangements.
3. Services (Boiler Care, Tank Hire): Annual service plans for boilers, tank installation/hire services, and telemetry monitoring services. Recurring service revenue from domestic and commercial customers.
4. Solar & Energy Solutions: Through renewable energy brands (Next Energy, Centreco, Freedom Heat Pumps), provides solar panel and heat pump solutions for domestic and commercial customers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Certas Energy distributes petroleum fuels and lubricants (heating oil, kerosene, diesel, red diesel, HVO, GTL, AdBlue, lubricants, additives) to UK domestic and commercial customers via 80+ local depots and a 900-vehicle fleet. Its offering extends to commercial fuel cards, tank telemetry, boiler care service plans, fuel storage tanks (purchase and hire), and renewable energy solutions including solar panels, heat pumps and HVO renewable diesel.

Product overview

Certas Energy is the UK's largest independent fuel distributor offering a comprehensive portfolio of energy products and services. The core offering includes traditional fuels (heating oil, kerosene, diesel/DERV, red diesel) alongside renewable alternatives (HVO, GTL, FAME). The product ecosystem spans physical fuels, storage solutions (tanks), maintenance services (Boiler Care), and digital tools including Fuel Cards, FuelTapp (digital fuel card), telemetry systems (FoxRadar, Tank Telemetry, FuelTrace), and CarbonTrace for emissions monitoring. Services extend to HGV bunkering, fuel tank hire, Fuelling Futures consultancy, and solar panel solutions. The portfolio is organized around three customer segments: domestic (home heating), commercial (businesses/fleets), and sector-specific (agriculture, construction, marine, transport & logistics). The company operates 80+ local depots and 900+ commercial fleet nationwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FuelTapp: The UK's first digital fuel card allowing users to pay for fuel using an app-generated PIN at Certas Energy bunker sites.
• CarbonTrace
• FoxRadar
• FuelTrace
• Therma35
• Cynergise
• Next Energy
• Centreco
• Freedom Heat Pumps

Products and services

• Domestic Heating Oil Kerosene-based heating oil delivered straight to domestic tanks for off-grid home heating. Sold to UK homeowners reliant on oil-fired boilers, primarily those not connected to the mains gas network.
• Diesel / DERV Road diesel (DERV) for commercial vehicles and fleet operators, supplied via direct delivery and HGV bunker sites.
• HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil) Renewable diesel drop-in alternative to standard diesel that can reduce lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by up to 90%, requiring no engine modifications. Sold to commercial fleets, agriculture, construction and transport sectors.
• AdBlue (Diesel Exhaust Fluid) Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) used in commercial diesel vehicles to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions, supplied alongside diesel to fleet customers.
• Kerosene Kerosene heating oil sold for both domestic and commercial heating applications.
• Red Diesel (Gas Oil) Rebated gas oil for off-road use in agricultural, construction and industrial machinery applications.
• GTL (Gas-to-Liquid Fuel) Paraffinic diesel fuel manufactured from natural gas, sold for both road and off-road commercial use as a cleaner-burning alternative.
• FAME and RTFO Biofuels Fatty Acid Methyl Ester biofuels compliant with Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation requirements, supplied as part of the renewable fuels portfolio.
• Industrial Heating Oil Heating fuel sold for industrial and commercial heating applications such as factories, warehouses and commercial premises.
• Lubricants Lubricant products for vehicle and machinery maintenance supplied to commercial and agricultural customers.
• Fuel Additives Fuel additives and treatments to protect and maintain fuel quality for stored and in-use fuels.
• Domestic Fuel Tanks Domestic oil storage tanks for homes, available for purchase or hire to support kerosene deliveries.
• Commercial Fuel Tanks Fuel storage tanks for commercial operations, available for purchase or hire to support site fuel supply.
• Boiler Care Annual service and emergency breakdown protection plan for domestic boilers, sold as a subscription-style cover to homeowners using Certas heating oil.
• FoxRadar (Domestic Tank Telemetry) Tank telemetry device and service that allows domestic customers to monitor their home heating oil tank level via mobile app and receive low-fuel alerts.
• Tank Telemetry (Commercial) Commercial telemetry solutions for monitoring fuel tank levels at customer sites, preventing stockouts and streamlining fuel deliveries.
• Fuel Cards Fleet fuel cards providing commercial customers access to fuel purchases, competitive pricing, payment security and fleet management tools, including HVO at Certas bunker sites.
• FuelTapp Digital Fuel Card UK's first digital fuel card allowing payment via app-generated PIN at Certas Energy bunker sites, eliminating the need for physical cards or cash. Sold to commercial fleet drivers and small operators.
• CarbonTrace Fleet emissions monitoring system tracking nitrogen oxides, carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases via fuel card purchases, helping businesses report and reduce emissions for regulatory compliance.
• FuelTrace (Onboard Telematics) Integrated telematics solution for tracking vehicle and driver performance, monitoring fuel consumption and optimising commercial fleet efficiency.
• HGV Refuelling Bunker Sites Nationwide network of more than 30 high-speed HGV refuelling bunker sites providing commercial hauliers quick and secure bunkering to reduce fleet downtime.
• HVO & Diesel Fuel Tank Hire Flexible fuel tank hire service providing commercial customers temporary or project-based storage for HVO or diesel.
• Fuelling Futures (Energy Transition Consultancy) Energy transition consultancy service helping commercial customers develop strategies for greener operations, sustainability reporting and environmental regulatory compliance.
• Domestic Solar Panels and Battery Storage Solar panel and battery storage solutions for off-grid and rural homes, providing resilient on-site renewable energy. Delivered via subsidiary Next Energy.
• Commercial Solar Panels Turnkey commercial solar panel solutions for businesses, delivered via subsidiary Centreco, marketed as maximising business efficiency through on-site renewable generation.
• Therma35 Specialist heating oil product for off-grid properties, sold as a branded heating oil offering alongside standard kerosene.
• Ways to Pay (Direct Debit Plan) Flexible payment options for domestic heating oil customers allowing payment in full per delivery or spread via scheduled Direct Debit.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 90% reduction in carbon emissions vs traditional heating fuels when using HVO
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature5 records

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Crown Oil: Crown Oil is one of the UK's largest independent fuel, lubricant and heating-oil distributors, operating a national depot and delivery network for diesel, kerosene, red diesel and lubricants to domestic, agricultural and commercial customers. Directly comparable to Certas Energy on product mix (heating oil, road fuels, lubricants), customer segments, and last-mile depot distribution model.
• Mansfield Energy: Mansfield Energy is a North American fuel-distribution and energy-management company providing diesel, gasoline, lubricants, DEF and renewable fuels (including renewable diesel) to commercial fleets and industrial customers. Comparable to Certas Energy in commercial fuel distribution, lubricant sales, and renewable-diesel positioning with cross-sell of energy-management services.
• Pace Fuelcare: Pace Fuelcare is a UK independent fuel and lubricant distributor focused on commercial fleets and agricultural customers, offering diesel, HVO, lubricants and fuel management services. Directly comparable to Certas Energy in fleet-focused commercial fuel distribution, depot operations and HVO rollout.
• World Fuel Services: World Fuel Services is a global fuel-distribution and energy-management company supplying aviation, marine, ground and commercial customers worldwide with fuels, lubricants and related services. Comparable to Certas Energy in fuel distribution, fuel-card/management services, and renewables/digital add-ons, though operating at much greater international scale.
• Watson Fuels: Watson Fuels is a UK independent commercial fuel distributor supplying diesel, HVO, lubricants and AdBlue to fleet, agricultural, construction and marine customers via regional depots and direct delivery. Directly comparable to Certas Energy in B2B fuel distribution, depot-based service, and HVO/alternative-fuel positioning.

Broad incumbents

• BP (GB Oils / BP Retail): BP operates GB Oils as the UK's largest fuel distributor and runs a national retail forecourt network, supplying fuels, lubricants and increasingly HVO to commercial and retail customers. Comparable as a broad incumbent competitor in UK road fuel and HVO distribution, with stronger consumer-brand reach and refining integration than Certas.
• Shell UK: Shell is an integrated oil major with a large UK retail forecourt network and commercial fuels business (including Shell Fleet Solutions and HVO offerings). Comparable as a broad incumbent in UK road and commercial fuels with stronger consumer brand, refining scale and capital than Certas Energy.
• TotalEnergies UK: TotalEnergies is an integrated energy major supplying road fuels, lubricants (Total Quartz, Hi-PERF), HVO and bitumen to UK commercial and retail customers. Comparable to Certas Energy in commercial road fuels and lubricant distribution, with stronger refining/petrochemical integration.
• Esso Petroleum: Esso is an integrated oil major operating a national UK retail forecourt network and supplying commercial fuels and lubricants. Comparable as a broad incumbent in UK road-fuel and lubricants distribution, competing with Certas in commercial and fleet segments but lacking Certas's domestic heating-oil depth.

Emerging players

• Greenergy: Greenergy is a UK-based fuel supplier with a strong focus on biofuels and lower-carbon road fuels, supplying wholesale and commercial customers. Comparable to Certas Energy in the UK HVO and renewable diesel category, though Greenergy is more wholesale-oriented and lacks Certas's domestic heating-oil depot depth.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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• Xx.com/CertasBusiness

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Certas Energy