This guide shows you how to turn those figures into a tank size, a delivery schedule, a cost-code structure and a commercial fuel plan that works across all your sites.
Jump to:
- How much fuel does construction plant use per hour?
- Why does plant fuel consumption vary?
- How do you size a fuel tank for a construction site?
- What are the UK's construction fuel usage and storage rules?
- How do you allocate construction fuel costs?
- How do you manage fuel across multiple live sites?
- Easy, reliable construction fuel deliveries with Your NRG
- Plant fuel consumption FAQs
How much fuel does construction plant use per hour?
Most construction plant uses anywhere from under 1 litre to 35 litres of diesel per hour, depending on the size of the machine and how hard it's working.
The table below shows typical fuel use at normal working load. Use it for planning, then swap in your own hour-meter or telematics data after your first fortnight on site.
| Machine | Size | Typical litres per hour |
|---|---|---|
| Micro and mini excavators | 0.8–3 tonnes | 1–4 |
| Midi excavators | 5–9 tonnes | 5–10 |
| Medium excavators | 13–22 tonnes | 8–20 |
| Large excavators | 30–36 tonnes | 20–35 |
| Site dumpers | 3–9 tonnes | 3–7 |
| Telehandlers | Compact to 14 m reach | 4–10 |
| Generators | 20–60 kVA | 2.5–9.5 |
| Generators | 100–200 kVA | 12.5–31 |
| Lighting towers | LED | 0.5–1 |
Why does plant fuel consumption vary?
Plant fuel consumption varies with how hard a machine works, how long it idles, how it's operated and maintained, and which attachments it runs, so two identical excavators on the same site can use very different amounts of fuel. The main factors are:
- Workload: Breaking out, trenching in clay and loading wagons all burn more fuel than grading or backfilling.
- Idle time: A machine ticking over between tasks still uses fuel while doing no work.
- Operator technique: Smooth, planned movements use noticeably less fuel than stop-start digging.
- Maintenance: Blocked filters and worn injectors gradually push consumption up.
- Attachments: Hydraulic breakers and augers add significant load.
For generators, multiply the kVA rating by 0.8, then by the load percentage and around 0.25 litres per kWh.
For example, a 100 kVA generator at 75% load works out at:
100 × 0.8 × 0.75 × 0.25 = approximately 15 litres per hour
Where possible, choose a generator sized close to your actual load. Running significantly below its intended load for long periods can increase fuel use per unit of power produced and contribute to wet stacking.
How do you size a fuel tank for a construction site?
Your site fuel tank should hold at least one full delivery cycle plus a safety buffer. That way every delivery is a routine refill, and you avoid emergency top-ups. To work out the right size:
- List every machine and its litres-per-hour consumption.
- Estimate the daily engine hours for each machine.
- Multiply litres per hour by engine hours to calculate daily consumption.
- Add the figures together to find total daily site demand.
- Multiply daily demand by the number of working days between deliveries.
- Add at least two days of additional demand as a buffer.
- Plan around roughly 90% of the tank's stated capacity to leave filling headroom.
Example using a mid-size groundworks site
Here's how the calculation works for a typical groundworks site.
| Plant | Litres per hour (each) | Engine hours per day | Litres per day |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 × 20 t excavators | 16 | 7 | 224 |
| 2 × 9 t dumpers | 5 | 6 | 60 |
| 1 × telehandler | 7 | 5 | 35 |
| 1 × 60 kVA generator | 9 | 10 | 90 |
| 4 × LED lighting towers | 0.7 | 4 | 11 |
| Total | 420 |
Over a five-day week, that's 2,100 litres.
Add an 840-litre buffer (two days' demand) and you need around 2,940 litres of usable storage.
A 5,000-litre bunded tank covers a single weekly delivery with room to spare. A 2,500-litre tank would need at least two deliveries a week.
How to set your construction fuel delivery frequency
To find out how long each commercial fuel delivery will last, use this formula:
Days between deliveries = (usable tank capacity − buffer) ÷ daily demand
A 5,000-litre tank has about 4,500 litres of usable capacity, so:
(4,500 − 840) ÷ 420 = approximately 8.7 working days.
Fixed delivery days are easier to manage than calling for top-ups when you're running low. Your site team knows when the tanker is due, access can be kept clear and plant is less likely to stand idle waiting for fuel.
Need a delivery schedule based on your plant demand and tank size? Request a commercial fuel quote from Your NRG.
What are the UK's construction fuel usage and storage rules?
Construction plant must run on white diesel (DERV), and in England any business container holding more than 200 litres of oil needs secondary containment, such as a bund, that can hold at least 110% of its capacity. The containment rule applies to mobile bowsers as well as static tanks.
Position tanks where vehicles are unlikely to hit them. Check the guidance before relying on a double-skinned tank, because not every design meets the secondary containment rules.
Full regulations can be found on GOV.UK.
Since 1 April 2022, the construction sector can no longer use rebated red diesel – the lower-duty fuel still allowed for uses such as agriculture. Putting red diesel in a machine used for construction work is illegal.
How do you allocate construction fuel costs?
The most reliable way to allocate fuel costs is to record which machine took fuel, and for which job, every time fuel leaves the tank. Delivery invoices tell you what arrived on site. Only your fill records tell you where it went.
Set up your cost structure
Putting your cost structure in place before fuel arrives saves hours of untangling invoices later.
- Project references: Give each project its own delivery reference or PO number, and every invoice will land against the right job.
- Fuel cost codes: Create separate codes for own plant, hired plant, subcontractor recharges, and generators and welfare.
- Subcontractor recharges: Agree the rate and how usage will be evidenced before work starts.
Record every top-up
Each top-up should capture six details. A simple log looks like this:
| Date | Plant number | Hour-meter reading | Litres | Operator | Cost code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12/03 | EX-01 | 4,512 | 110 | J. Smith | P104-OWN |
Compare each fill against the hours run since the last one. A large gap between expected and actual litres usually points to a leak, a faulty meter, a machine that needs servicing or fuel going missing.
Reconcile weekly
Once a week, check the fuel entering and leaving the tank:
| Weekly stock check | Litres |
|---|---|
| Opening tank level | 900 |
| Plus deliveries | 3,600 |
| Minus fuel dispensed | 2,100 |
| Expected closing level | 2,400 |
| Actual dipped level | 2,310 |
| Unexplained difference | 90 |
Investigate any unexplained difference straight away, while it's still easy to trace.
How do you manage fuel across multiple live sites?
The simplest way to manage fuel across several sites is to use one register, one supplier account and a planned delivery day for every site, each with a clear reorder trigger. You can see demand across all your jobs, cut emergency deliveries and keep month-end straightforward.
Keep one register covering every live site. For each one, record:
- Tank details: Tank size, fuel type and current daily demand.
- Ordering: Reorder level and fixed delivery day.
- Access: Site contact and delivery notes, including any restricted hours.
- Costing: The project cost code and delivery reference.
Review fuel demand as each project changes phase. Generator use may fall once mains power is connected, while earthworks equipment may leave the site as structural work progresses.
As a project approaches completion, reduce delivery volumes so the tank is close to empty when it is taken off hire. This reduces the amount of unused fuel that needs moving or pumping out during demobilisation.
Easy, reliable construction fuel deliveries with Your NRG
Your NRG supplies fuel to construction sites across the UK, with delivery planning built around your programme, storage and site demand.
- 4.8 stars on Feefo and Trustpilot across more than 20,000 verified reviews
- Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Award Winner 2026
- 22 depots across the country and nearly 150 tankers
- One account manager across multiple sites
Send us your plant list, tank sizes and site locations and we'll quote a delivery schedule based on how much fuel you use.
Explore our full range of bulk fuels for business, learn more about our plant fuel supply, or get a delivery schedule quote. Alternatively, call 01642 686000 to speak to the team.
Plant fuel consumption FAQs
Here are quick answers to the questions contractors ask most about plant and generator fuel use.
How much fuel does an excavator use per hour?
An excavator typically uses between 1 and 35 litres of diesel per hour, depending on machine size and workload. Mini excavators use 1–4 litres, midi excavators 5–10, 13-tonne machines 8–12, 20-tonne machines 12–20 and 30-tonne-plus machines 20–35. Heavy digging, breaker work and extended idling push consumption towards the top of each range.
How much fuel does a generator use per hour?
A diesel generator running at 75% load uses around 2.5–3 litres per hour for a 20 kVA set, 12.5–15.5 litres for a 100 kVA set and 25–31 litres for a 200 kVA set. Most diesel generators burn 0.21–0.26 litres per kWh. To estimate yours, multiply the kVA rating by 0.8, then by the load as a decimal, then by 0.25.
How do you calculate plant fuel consumption?
To calculate plant fuel consumption, multiply each machine's litres per hour by its daily engine hours, then add the totals together for your site's daily fuel demand. For the most accurate litres-per-hour figure, divide the litres dispensed between two fills by the hour-meter hours recorded. Use published ranges for planning, then switch to measured figures once work starts.
