HVO going greener, faster Hydrotreated vegetable oil - cheaper solution Words: Steve Banner
Transport
operators agonising over how best to reduce the impact of their vehicles on the environment may be unaware that there is a simple step they can take today that will cut their CO2 output and reduce harmful tailpipe emissions. It does not involve switching to radically-different and eye-watering-expensive technology, or having the ranges of their trucks compromised, or making a massive investment in new refuelling facilities at their depots. All they have to do is stop using conventional diesel immediately and switch to HVO hydrotreated vegetable oil - instead. Classed as a paraffinic diesel, it is made from renewable waste materials such as vegetable and animal fats and can cut well-to-wheel CO2 emissions by up to 90% or more, claim its advocates. Running trucks on HVO can reduce a truck’s NOx emissions by up to 29% contends Green Biofuels chairman, William Tebbit. His Andover, Hants-based company supplies the fuel under the Green D Plus banner. “Its use undoubtedly leads to improved air quality,” he states. “Particulates come down by up to 85%, and here I’m especially thinking about what are known as superfine particulates.“
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They are not caught by a truck’s particulate filter, and can pass through your skin and get into your bloodstream.” Tailpipe CO2 emissions are down by 5% to 6% too,” he adds. HVO can either be used on its own or mixed with ordinary diesel in a haulier’s bulk tank no special storage arrangements are required - or a truck’s running tanks. Says DAF UK marketing manager, Phil Moon: “It’s what is sometime referred to as a drop-in fuel. It’s more stable than ordinary diesel, with a low water content.” Says Tebbit: “It doesn’t smell, it’s not carcinogenic, and if it gets into the ground then it biodegrades in 52 days. It burns very cleanly and produces no smoke at all.“ Another advantage is that because it produces less NOx, the truck consumes around 20% less AdBlue,” he observes. “One leading bakery company’s fleet has covered around 30m miles on HVO, and reported no problems with it.” Says Moon: “Go back a couple of years and there was certainly a lack of awareness, but a number of operators have now gone over to it completely. In other cases they are using it in
