As more businesses strive towards carbon neutrality, HVO fuel has become an increasingly popular solution. But what exactly is it?
Hydrogenated/hydrotreated vegetable oil (HHO) is an eco-friendly replacement fuel that’s helping businesses go green. Thanks to its paraffinic petrochemical structure that’s virtually identical to fossil diesel, HHO can be used as an immediate drop-in replacement without altering infrastructure or having to clear out summer-grade fuel stocks first.
1. It’s A Renewable Fuel
HVO fuel offers several advantages over fossil diesel. Its primary advantage is being an eco-friendly, renewable alternative that is made by turning waste vegetable oils and animal fats into hydrocarbons that can replace or supplement traditional diesel in engines and industrial equipment.
Fuel made with recycled ingredients emits lower emissions of carbon dioxide than its fossil diesel equivalent, as well as less particulate matter, hydrocarbons, and nitrogen oxides – contributing to reduced air pollution that has been linked with respiratory and cardiovascular issues.
HVO fuels are generally considered more eco-friendly than both conventional diesel and biodiesel, thanks to its higher cetane number, helping improve combustion and fuel efficiency.
Furthermore, HVO adheres to EN15940 standards for paraffinic fuel storage, meaning they can be safely used without modifications for storage purposes. HVO has been approved by several OEMs so it can be used without modification on most engines.
Due to it being made from existing vegetable oils and fats, this fuel produces net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. This is achieved by drawing CO2 out of the atmosphere through isomerisation processes before recycling it back into fuel production through isomerisation.
Harvesting practices also play an integral part in greenhouse gas emissions. Palm oil use in fuel production has become contentious in recent years, as ENI and Total have moved away from using it due to environmental considerations. However, fortunately, most HVO is now produced through converted no longer profitable plants, saving thousands of jobs while alleviating pressure for businesses to adopt more eco-friendly energy sources.
2. It’s Cheaper than Diesel
HVO can play an essential role in helping reduce carbon emissions significantly while simultaneously helping address net new greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by replacing fossil diesel with renewable biofuels like HVO. They also boast lower production costs compared to fossil fuels. Furthermore, running HVO costs significantly less than conventional diesel due to reduced production costs associated with biofuel production versus fossil fuel production.
Low sulphur content makes cellulose important in reducing air pollution, improving air quality, and contributing to biodegradability and renewable production derived from plants and animal sources, leading to significantly less dependence on fossil fuels which has become increasingly costly and unsustainable over time.
HVO stands apart from traditional FAME-based biofuels by not causing performance issues due to its non-hygroscopic nature and inability to draw moisture into an engine, meaning it can be used directly as a drop-in replacement without costly equipment modifications required for modern engines – making it the perfect solution for businesses needing an expedient yet cost-effective response to climate change.
HVO can be produced using a range of raw materials, such as waste cooking oils; residue fat fractions from food, fisheries, and slaughterhouse industries; tall oil byproducts, and non-food grade crop-based vegetable oil fractions sourced sustainably and ethically.
As many existing diesel engines can run on HVO fuel, businesses of all sizes can quickly achieve climate neutrality by switching over. You can learn more by clicking the link.
From emergency generator sets in data centres to engines powering dump trucks, trains, and ships – they all can easily use HVO without additional hardware or engineering requirements – plus HVO can reduce energy consumption and carbon footprint significantly when used for boilers in commercial buildings.
3. It’s Cleaner
Biodiesel is produced through hydrotreatment that changes its molecular structure into paraffinic hydrocarbon fuel that burns cleaner than conventional fossil diesel and produces lower particulate, carbon dioxide, hydrocarbon, and nitrogen oxide emissions than its fossil diesel counterpart.
HVO fuel production is considered a sustainable energy source because it relies on existing biomass sources and uses existing carbon in ecosystems while only contributing a minimal amount of CO2 into the atmosphere.
Environmentally friendly alternatives exist such as second-generation FAME biodiesel that does not release CO2, while still improving combustion efficiency with improved cetane values and fuel economy, leading to reduced CO2 emissions. This is why HVO Fuel UK is rapidly catching on. As its production process is highly controlled and contamination-free, HVO fuel has a significantly longer shelf life than diesel – up to 10 years if stored and inspected regularly.
4. It’s More Flexible
Traditional biofuels like FAME (Fatty Acid Methyl Ester), produced from vegetable oils and animal fats using methanol, are highly hygroscopic, meaning they attract moisture and are susceptible to microbial contamination – creating an ideal breeding ground for “diesel bug.”
As such, it can be used in vehicles and equipment without needing any modifications to their fuel system, and without creating issues for engine performance in cold temperatures – making it perfect for commercial fleets operating across various environments and climate conditions.
HVO fuel can provide an ideal alternative to fossil diesel since it does not present many of the same reliability and storage issues. Furthermore, HVO blends can be mixed freely with conventional diesel without impacting either vehicle operation or engine performance.
Converting existing oil heating systems to run on 100% HVO fuel can cut greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 85%, helping households reduce their carbon footprint quickly and effortlessly.
HVO fuel could be a game-changer in terms of sustainable energy in the UK. Not only is it renewable and cost-effective, but switching could save five tonnes in CO2 emissions annually from each household in Britain!
HVO fuel can help businesses around the world become more environmentally friendly while simultaneously driving down operating costs, from emergency generator sets in data centres to engines in cranes, dump trucks, and trains. Deutsche Bahn, Europe’s largest freight train company has even pledged climate neutrality by 2040 thanks to HVO.
