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Everything You Should Know About HVO Fuel

Now that people have become more and more conscious of their carbon footprint, different sustainable alternatives of everyday commodities have gained popularity – and one example of this is HVO fuel. HVO stands for hydrotreated vegetable oils and is another type of biofuel. For businesses, switching to HVO will not only make operation entirely eco-friendly, but it also brings so much more benefits to the table. If you want to know more about HVO, below are commonly asked questions, plus the corresponding answers.

What is HVO fuel?

Also known as Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids (HEFA) or sustainable Diesel, HVO biofuels (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oils) are much better for the climate and motors than mineral diesel. During the production process, hydrogen is used instead of methanol, which leads to hydrotreatment. When hydrotreating vegetable oils, oxygen is eliminated, reducing the factors that cause the fuel to oxidise. HVO is an excellent alternative for a range of applications that have an environmental impact.

How does the production of HVO works?

Hydrotreating vegetable oils is a modern way to produce high-quality diesel fuels from completely renewable materials, regrowing when needed stock. The use of the crops and materials such as vegetable oils and food waste does not damage the environment, contribute to deforestation, nor affect the ecosystem in any way.

What’s in HVO?

Both HEFA and HVO contain high cetane numbers and can be portrayed as chain paraffinic hydrocarbons. These chemicals don’t contain any aromatic, sulphur, fossil, and oxygen. They have some tremendous benefits over Fatty Acid Methyl Esters (FAME), making them suitable for transportation, agriculture, aviation, marine, and other applications

What are the benefits of using HVO biodiesel?

Wondering what these benefits are? Using HVO biodiesel in your canopy generators can slash harmful NOx emissions by up to 25% - without any impact on the performance of your generators. Furthermore, HVO biofuel can also eliminate by 42% the amount of particulate matter, which is adequate to make it more eco-friendly and sustainable, especially for businesses. Even with a higher HVO price, all of its benefits make it more cost-efficient.

How can I know if I can fill my vehicle with HVO?

HVO fuel meets the fuel specification EN15940, which guarantees that it can be used in all applications that require fuel to that standard. However, it is advised for consumers to consult their OEM first for approval.

How efficient is HVO?

HVO price offers vast savings on the greenhouse gas potential of your operation with no changes needed to your engine or infrastructure. Furthermore, the differences in the number of greenhouse gases emitted by regular diesel and HVO are also significant. For mineral diesel, 1,000 litres burned can produce 3.6 tonnes of GHG CO2, while 1,000litres of HVO burned only constitute 195kg or 0.195 tonnes of GHG CO2.

Lastly, HVO received a high cetane rating of more than 70, while mineral diesel-only got 51. This means that HVO is a highly efficient fuel, about how fast it can combust. So a higher cetane number means that the fuel will ignite more quickly, resulting in improved engine performance and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

How is the cetane rating of HVO compared to regular diesel?

As mentioned, diesel has a cetane number of 51, and FAME biodiesel has a cetane number between 50 and 65. In contrast, HVO has a rating of between 70 to 90, which means it has better performance, has cleaner combustion, and is less likely to degrade in cold climates.

Will I have to change my boiler for HVO?

HVO biofuels are drop-in substitutes to mineral diesel, which means most devices that utilise this fuel can also accommodate HVO. However, it can also depend on the type of boiler you have. The more modern your boiler is, the more likely it will be compatible with HVO with a couple of simple modifications. Some newer boilers can consume HVO without requiring any alterations at all.

The bottom line is switching to HVO fuel from regular mineral diesel will not only help the environment, but your business can also gain positive financial and marketing benefits. Now that consumers seem to lean to ethically and sustainably made products, it’s time for you to keep up and completely stop using harmful diesel. Furthermore, with HVO having better quality and performance, your fuel consumption will also be more cost-efficient, saving you tons of money.