Will HVO fuel the future?
Originally uploaded on May 04, 2022
The current climate crisis has prompted the incoming government legislation on the production of diesel and petrol cars. After 2030, the sale of new petrol and diesel cars will be banned. The goal of these large-scale changes is to achieve zero carbon emissions in the UK by 2050. As a result, fleet managers have been looking at carbon-friendly options away from the dominant fuel type: diesel. Previously on our blog, we have discussed electric vehicles as an alternative, but this isn’t the only option. If you currently run a diesel-based fleet, HVO could also offer a solution.
The fleet industry considers EVs to be the future of fleets. However, BMW CEO Oliver Zipse has recently warned against relying entirely on electric vehicles moving forwards. This comes after the vast economic consequences we’ve seen throughout Europe after the sanctions imposed on Russia have highlighted the dangers of becoming dependent on a limited number of countries for necessary resources.
HVO, for most diesel users, does not require vehicle changes or significant changes to company infrastructure. This makes HVO an easy to implement choice for reducing your fleet’s carbon footprint. But what is HVO fuel?
What is HVO fuel?
HVO, or Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil, is a second-generation biofuel that benefits from the technological advances made since the first generation of biofuels. The first generation of biofuels was a step towards sustainable fuels and offered options such as bioethanol or biodiesel. The second generation contains even more advanced options, such as HVO.
The first generation of biofuels boasted a huge reduction in the use of fossil fuels and reduced carbon emissions. Unfortunately, the fact that the first-generation biofuels were manufactured from food products created friction between the food production and fuel industries over limited supplies.
HVO is made of vegetable oils and animal fats and is mostly manufactured from food waste. The oils are hydrotreated for a manufacturing process with lower carbon emissions and can be used for diesel engines with little to no modification.
The development of HVO works to solve this problem by using food waste materials. As well as helping solve the supply issue, this will also reduce global food waste, making HVO an overall attractive option for those considering the environmental effects of their business.
Can HVO be used by fleets?
Looking to the future, electric vehicles (or EVS) are the primary option that fleet managers are looking at. FleetNews’ current poll asking readers what their next company car will currently show 51.7% favouring pure electric vehicles, with only 17% opting for diesel. But is HVO another valid option?
With the diesel vehicles currently on the market not requiring major modifications to use HVO, it looks like a viable and attractive fuel option for fleets. Speedy announced in 2021 that they would be moving to use HVO as the main fuel for their commercial fleet going forwards.
“Our fuel usage comprises the largest part of the business's carbon footprint, making it a priority area for us to take action. Reducing emissions in our delivery fleet helps customers to make big gains in decarbonising their supply chain, reducing the overall carbon footprint of their projects.”
Mike DeRome, head of fuel at Speedy
What are the benefits of HVO for fleets?
HVO has many advantages that make it a viable replacement for diesel, some of which are:
● One strong benefit of HVO is that it can be used in most diesel engines without prior modification and without negatively affecting engine health. The fact that HVO use can be implemented across a fleet without major infrastructural changes would make the potential rollout much smoother than the rollout of electric vehicles, which would require the vehicles themselves, instead of just the fuel type, to be changed.
● Refuelling with HVO is like refuelling with diesel: you simply need to refill the tank. When compared to electric vehicles’ much slower charging method, HVO could potentially save your fleet masses of time.
● HVO also features a much higher cetane rating than conventional diesel, which means that the starting power of the fuel is much greater.
● The long shelf life and easy storage of HVO is also a benefit. It withstands wintry weather very well, making long term storage easier to maintain.
What are the problems with HVO?
This is not to say that HVO is not without issues. Fleet managers have been made wary of using HVO due to:
● The current limited availability of HVO fuels on the market.
● The potentially negative environmental effects that may come into play when switching to a new fuel source, even one with a lower carbon footprint. When the first generation of biofuels rolled out, the industry realised that moving our fuel dependency from fossil fuels to fuels grown on land has a high likelihood of increasing deforestation.
● The higher price. Although this varies depending on the supplier and the current market, HVO usually comes with a higher price point than traditional diesel or charging an electric car, although the cost of purchasing EVs also needs to be considered by fleet managers.
Overall, HVO is a valid and attractive choice for those looking at ways to reduce the carbon emissions of their fleet. It’s important to make sure that you are aware of the range of options available so you can make informed decisions about your supply moving forwards. In the future, we will be writing in-depth articles about the different types of alternative fuels available. In the meantime, check out our earlier list of the 10 Alternative Fuels for Vehicles.
For more advice on insight into the fuel industry, make sure to keep up to date with our blog. For advice on your fleet’s fuel usage and fuel card solution, give us a call today.