A cleaner fuel option for oil heating users

How easy is it to convert an oil-fired boiler to work on HVO, and what difference would it make to the UK’s ambitious Net Zero targets? Neil Sawers from Grant UK helps to provide some answers.

Biofuels have long been promoted as being part of the answer to meeting the government’s Net Zero targets, but do they represent a viable solution for domestic heating? Here Neil Sawers from Grant UK responds to some key questions.

Q. What exactly are biofuels?

Biofuels, such as Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO), are a low-carbon fuel that could help hundreds of thousands of homes transition to more sustainable heating. Achieving Net Zero and reducing carbon emissions will require multiple approaches and here at Grant UK, we believe that biofuels can play a part in helping decarbonise home heating.

FAME and HVO are two of the types of biofuel currently being trialled in the UK. FAME, which stands for Fatty Acid Methyl Ester, is a waste derived biodiesel – it is created during the chemical conversion of cooking oils and animal fats, a process which involves a reaction between fatty acids, alcohol and a catalyst. The end products include a raw biodiesel which is suitable for blending with kerosene oil, up to approximately 30%.

HVO meanwhile is what is known as a second generation biofuel which is made from similar raw materials as FAME. However, instead of using methanol (which is used in the production of FAME), HVO uses hydrogen during its production. HVO can be a ‘drop-in fuel’ which means it is suitable to be a replacement for existing fossil fuels, providing a 100% biofuel option.

Q. Can current oil boilers be converted to use HVO?

All Grant Vortex floor standing oil boilers are biofuel compatible and can be converted to HVO operation with a few simple steps, so the range can be changed from kerosene operation to HVO with a few minor changes to the burner and nozzles. The conversion can be done in one visit, minimising the disruption for the householder. We recently recorded an informative podcast on biofuels and conversions of oil boilers. You can listen to the episode of the Net Zero Heating Show podcast by using the link at the bottom of this article.

Q. Is HVO readily available in the UK?

OFTEC announced in May this year that plans to transition oil heated homes to HVO took an important step forward following the first delivery of the fuel from America, which has the potential to significantly boost supply in the UK.

The then-Department of International Trade in November last year lifted import tariffs on American HVO, previously imposed when the UK was a member of the European Union, recognising that HVO could be used in a number of different decarbonisation pathways, including home heating. Cornwall-based fuel distributor Mitchell and Webber undertook the first lifting of USA imported HVO at the Valero terminal in Cardiff in March.

Q. Are there any installations that have been converted?

In early 2021, Gwinear Primary School in Hayle, Cornwall, made the decision to change its central heating system. The school had an oil-fired boiler which was approximately 15 years old and they wanted to upgrade the system to a more efficient solution while also reducing their carbon footprint.

Being part of official field trials, the installation to convert the school from traditional kerosene to HVO operation commenced in May 2021, with the system being closely monitored until it was completed in Autumn 2022

A Grant Vortex Boiler House 46-58kW oil boiler was first installed by Jose and Blackler, replacing the old boiler, and ensuring that the school was always with heating and hot water. Mitchell & Webber then converted the Vortex Boiler House oil boiler to HVO operation, a process which took less than a day to complete.

Gwinear School has saved up to 90% net greenhouse gas carbon dioxide emissions and were delighted to be the first in the country to pilot the use of HVO biofuels for its heating. They were extremely pleased with how well the new system and boiler performed.

Q. What research and official trials are taking place? Research into biofuels has been taking place for many years. Grant UK has been involved in the field trials organised by OFTEC which has been researching the use of more sustainable, waste derived low carbon liquid fuels and testing these in Grant boilers, enabling them to be biofuel compatible. The use of HVO at 100% (which results in a reduction in carbon emissions of up to 88%) will allow rural and hard-to-heat homes to transition to a renewable, green alternative from 100% kerosene.

At present, despite the clear benefits of HVO conversion being obvious to many, biofuels are not included in the government’s Heat and Buildings Strategy, but we believe they should be.

It is estimated that the typical cost to convert an existing oilheated home to HVO is likely to be less than £500 and it will offer an immediate 88% reduction in carbon emissions. This is why we believe that biofuels should be included, alongside heat pumps, in the government’s approach to decarbonising home heating because they can provide a costeffective low carbon heating solution when an electric heating solution is not possible.

Q. What is the industry doing to try and change the government’s strategy?

OFTEC is making regular representations to government and leading the way for the industry on the matter. Further updates and news are being shared via www.futurereadyfuel. info. We are also encouraging installers and engineers to write an open letter to their local MP and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) to encourage them to adopt HVO in their strategy, and we have a template letter available to download from our website: https://www.grantuk.com/ support/biofuelheating/ There is undoubtedly growing interest in biofuels and if they are included in the Strategy and given government support, HVO biofuels will give consumers choice and fairness by providing those homes which cannot be easily converted to heat pumps with a low carbon alternative.

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