HVO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

HVO stands for Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil and it’s one of the cleanest fuels on the market. You may also hear it being referred to as HVO diesel or HVO renewable diesel.

It’s a second-generation, synthetic, advanced renewable diesel that eliminates up to 90% of net CO₂ and significantly reduces nitrogen oxide (NOx), particulate matter (PM) and carbon monoxide (CO) emissions.

As a paraffinic, renewable fuel, HVO can be used as a drop-in alternative to red and white diesel as it meets EN 15940 standards and Fuel Quality Directive 2009/30/EC Annex II.

HVO is produced through a chemical two-stage process called hydrotreatment. In this process, feedstocks are saturated with hydrogen at high temperatures (over 300 °C), followed by a stage of isomerisation/cracking to give the end product the desired fuel qualities.

The highly controlled HVO fuel production process ensures a consistent and top-quality product. HVO does not contain any esters or contamination, which prevents its performance from being affected at the point of use or after extended storage. This ensures it doesn’t react with water or oxygen or form sludge while in storage. HVO fuel is also resistant to attack by the “diesel bug,” allowing it to be stored for extended periods of time.

Growth and reuse cycle

HVO is produced from waste streams and plant and animal matter. Plants are grown, oils are taken away, used for their main purpose, recollected, and then converted into HVO. When HVO is burned, any CO₂ that is released is then sequestered back into a plant on the next regrowth cycle. This closed loop ensures there is no net CO₂ increase.

To demonstrate the reduction of emissions from using HVO fuel, we enlisted a fully independent test centre to compare the chemical output of both fuels in a 275 KVA generator. The results showed a significant NOx reduction of 7.5% across both tests, showing that using HVO fuel improves air quality by simply changing the fuel in non-designated areas.

The CO, CO2 and hydrocarbons (HC) results highlighted the improved burning characteristic of HVO fuel compared to the standard fuel. In particular, the large reduction in HC demonstrated that more of the HVO injected into the cylinder is combusted, reflecting the consistent nature of the fuel in terms of hydrocarbon molecules that it contains.

The table below compares the different characteristics of HVO fuel, FAME, and regular diesel.

HVO fuel can be made from several feedstocks which include:

• Animal fats (rendered fat from the meat industry)
• Vegetable oils (soybean oil and rapeseed oil)
• Waste oils (used cooking oils)

There are many benefits including:

Sustainability

• Up to 90% reduction in net CO2 emissions
• Emits fewer particles and NOx, improving air quality
• ISCC and RFAS approved
• Zero FAME, sulphur and fossil content
• Fully biodegradable, sustainable and non-toxic

Compatibility

• Adheres to EN 15940:2016 specifications
• Direct replacement for red and white diesel
• Approved by a huge number of OEMs

Improved performance

• Extended lifespan of up to 10 years
• More stable than biodiesel (FAME)
• Reduced need for regular testing
• Resistant to oxidation and microbial growth
• Year-round performance with no need for seasonal grade changes
• Excellent cold-weather performance with a CFFP point of -27oC
• Free from aromatics, sulphur and metals

HVO is OEM approved. Manufacturers have approved HVO and identified there is no degradation in performance.

HVO contains a specifically designed performance additive, which includes deposit control compounds, lubricity improves and other surface-active agents to ensure cleanliness and optimum combustion throughout the fuel system. Through minimising NOX it allows the additive to promote passive regeneration of the PDF system.

Whilst HVO can significantly reduce the net CO₂ emissions compared to fossil diesel, it’s not entirely carbon neutral. It’s carbon footprint depends on the feedstock used and the production process.