Hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO) is slowly and steadily being introduced onto the energy market in a bid to ensure that the UK’s Zero Net emissions goals are met by 2050. Various industries are now leaning towards the utilisation of HVO diesel, and even private citizens are beginning to benefit from this high-performing alternative to fossil diesel. HVO fuel is a “next-generation” drop-in replacement for regular diesel and is formulated to possess the same characteristics as the latter, but deliver up to 90 per cent less carbon emissions.
HVO for Households
In Scotland, the Allan family has been the first household within the UK to fully convert their heating system to run on HVO. They are part of a 12-month trial to gather data in order to promote the use of recycled oil in preference to fossil fuels throughout the country.
The family started to use HVO in March, and they say that there has been no significant difference in the performance of their heating system. They use the oil made from vegetables and waste fats both to supply heating and hot water for their home.
The International Sustainability and Carbon Certification System (ISCC) has authorised HVO, describing it as a sustainable fuel made from crops or waste products that does not contribute to deforestation. Using this alternative fuel has also been proven to cut carbon emissions by 90 per cent.
The Oil and Renewable Heating Technologies (OFTEC) and the UK and Ireland Fuel Distributors Association (UKIFDA) are supporting the home heating project, which is part of a wider effort to help Scotland achieve its net-zero goals by 2045.
Homeowner Mrs Jodie Allan, a previous president of the UKIFDA who volunteered their home for the trial, hopes that the project will stimulate interest in HVO diesel and help increase the supply of the fuel.
HVO in the British Grand Prix
Formula 1 (F1) introduced the Remote Broadcast Operations Project in 2020. This initiative reduced the number of staff and the amount of technical cargo needed to support television of each race. The implementation of this project has put F1 one step closer to achieving its own net-zero goals by 2030.
In the Formula 1 Pirelli British Grand Prix, for instance, some of the changes that the racing company introduced included the replacement of the fuel in the TV Compound Generators with HVO. It also introduced zero-emission vehicles to circuit operations; and switched 70 per cent of its fleet of cars to hybrid vehicles. Even its catering arrangements weren’t untouched as the canteen offered a much wider range of vegan and vegetarian meals than usual.
Formula 1 plans to utilise the data gathered from the project to implement changes to future races in the hopes of reducing the sport’s emissions further.
Managing Director of F1’s Media and Technology Centre, Robert Dalla, said he was very pleased that the 2021 British Grand Prix television productions have been acknowledged as sustainable broadcasting and were awarded albert certification for sustainability in TV and film production. This is a big leap forward in the Centre’s journey towards Net-Zero Carbon.
He also stated that F1 overall is committed to reducing climate change. Dalla said that by working with certification schemes like albert and its own key suppliers, they were able to improve how they work and deliver the production more sustainably, which in turn will ultimately reduce their total carbon footprint.
HVO in Data Centres
Data storage centres also use fuel, and recently, some have been considering switching to HVO. Kao Data, an operator and developer of carrier neutral data centres for high-performance colocation, recently stated that it had become the first of its kind to transition all its backup generators to the use of HVO on its Harlow campus.
Working in partnership with Crown Oil, the company will eliminate up to 90% of its net CO2 emissions from its generators and reduce the amount of nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter waste produced.
This runs alongside Kao Data’s existing green initiatives, which include utilising 100% renewable energy, incorporating a hyperscale inspired design to deliver a power usage effectiveness (PUE) of <1.2, and using completely refrigerant-free indirect evaporative cooling technologies in their systems.
Having signed up to the Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact (CNDPCP), using HVO fuel is a significant step in helping this data company, as well as the country as a whole, to reach the net-zero goal by 2050.
HVO in Shipping and Maritime
The maritime industry is also pitching in to help in the reduction of overall emissions. Shipping companies are now testing the use of these alternative fuels. In the UK, crewing vessels and tugboats on the Thames have signed up to using HVO to power their craft.
Japanese companies Mitsui O. S. K. Lines (MOL) and NYK are some of the companies that have also committed to using alternative fuels. MOL, through its subsidiary Euro Marine Logistics, started its trials in June of this year. They loaded their car carrying vessel, City of Oslo, with around 370 tonnes of biofuel, highlighting the fact that companies can use HVO without changing the engine specs.
NYK likewise loaded its vessel Frontier Jacaranda with HVO in Singapore before it embarked on a voyage to South Africa. The company said that the mix it has used would reduce CO2 emissions by five per cent; but its goal to reduce CO2 emissions does not stop there. The company is continuing its research to improve cost efficiency. This NYK test is a follow up to a previous large-scale trial carried out in 2019.
Other efforts have included the launching of a pilot project by ScottishPower Renewables to use waste vegetable oil to power crew transfer vessels to and from its East Anglia ONE offshore wind farm. The farm is located about 25 miles off the southeast of England.
And the Cory Group, a company that transports about a million tonnes of waste on the River Thames each year from energy facilities to be recycled, has also committed to converting its vessels to using biofuel made from waste fat and cooking oil.
As well as its impressive environmental credentials, HVO also has other benefits, including the prevention of microbial growth and a storage life that’s ten times longer than standard diesel fuels.
Switch to HVO Seamlessly
Companies and individuals alike may still be hesitating to make the transition to HVO fuels, mainly because this is still a relatively new technology. But increasingly, HVO is proving itself to be a great alternative to fossil fuel diesel across a range of applications and industries and is fast becoming a major player in helping achieve the UK’s net-zero ambitions for 2050.
If you’re keen on making the switch, here at HVO Fuel UK, you’ll find us more than happy to help. Simply schedule a call with us, and we’ll provide you with the best fuel solutions for your business’s needs. Our next-generation HVO diesel is 100 per cent waste-derived, as this is by far the most sustainable fuel solution while offering the lowest levels of greenhouse gas emissions.
Transitioning to HVO fuel may sound complicated, but in reality, it is often quite a simple process. In many cases, HVO is a drop-in replacement to diesel and gas oil, and can be used without the need to clean or modify your existing equipment. Moreover, HVO can be blended seamlessly with regular diesel without compromising its reliability and performance.
Here at HVO Fuel UK, we can supply you with all the necessary engineering and technical support, so there’s no need to worry about any disruption to your daily operations.
