HVO Fuel Solutions

HVO stands for Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil. It’s manufactured from 100% renewable and sustainable waste, all ethically soured and derived from raw materials. HVO is a ‘drop in’ fuel that can replace diesel with no changes required to the engine or operational infrastructure. It is legal for road and non-road use and offers significant reductions in noxious tail pipe emissions.

• HVO is accepted by the Road Transport Fuel Obligation and certified by the ISCC and meets the international fuel standards EN15940 & ASTM D975.
• It is proven to reduce CO² emissions by up to net 90%, NOx (Nitrogen Oxides) emissions by up to 27% and PM (particulate matter) by up to 84%, all key components in achieving improved air quality.

So, if you are monitoring your company’s carbon emissions and want to measure how much it can reduce your environmental impact, speak to our team today.

• HVO has a 10 year shelf life.
• It will not freeze in cold temperatures
• HVO fuel is completely biodegradable
• It is a ‘clean’ fuel, free from fossils, FAME and is odourless.
• HVO offers better combustion and filtration than diesel alternatives.

Q: What is HVO fuel?

A: HVO fuel is one of the cleanest fuels on the market. It’s a second-generation, synthetic, advanced biofuel 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 fossil diesel, meeting EN 15940 standards and Fuel Quality Directive 2009/30/EC Annex II. There’s no need to modify existing infrastructure –you can simply top up and go.

Q: What is paraffinic diesel?

A: Paraffinic diesels are high-quality, synthetic clean liquid fuels. Sunbelt HVO fuel is part of the paraffinic family of fuels which are characterised by having low aromatic and naphthenic hydrocarbon content and zero sulphur, which makes them extremely pure fuels.

HVO is synthesised from vegetable oils or animal fats using a specialist hydro-treatment process and its purity allows it to significantly reduce harmful emissions when used in diesel vehicles and machinery through much-improved burning efficiency.

Q: Are paraffinic diesel fuels like HVO fuel better than traditional fuels?

A: With the growing drive to tackle the root causes of climate change, both public and private sectors are under huge pressure to reduce their environmental impact. We’re passionate about providing sustainable alternatives and we believe Sunbelt HVO fuel is invaluable in doing so, thanks to its plethora of green and operational benefits which we discuss below.

HVO fuel is significantly better for the environment compared to mineral diesel and is therefore key in helping the UK achieve its net-zero carbon target.

Q: Is HVO fuel toxic?

A: HVO fuel is completely biodegradable, non-toxic and odourless as it’s made from 100% renewable waste materials. As a tried and tested clear and bright diesel fuel, it’s perfectly clean and safe to use.

Q: How is renewable diesel made?

A: Hydro-treating vegetable oils is a modern way to produce high-quality diesel fuels from completely renewable materials which can be regrown when stock is needed. The crops that are used to produce HVO fuel bypass damage to the environment, the natural ecosystem and the drive for global deforestation.

There are several methods for the creation of renewable fuels, such as transesterification or fermentation. HVO is made through a two-stage process known as hydro-treatment, where feed stocks are saturated with hydrogen at high temperatures (over 300^oc), 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 high-quality product. HVO does not contain any estersor contamination which avoids its performance being affected either at the point of use or after extended storage. Therefore, it does not react with water or oxygen or form sludge whilst in storage. It also resists attack by "diesel bug", allowing it to be stored for extended periods of time.

Q: What is FAME diesel?

A: First-generation biodiesel, sometimes called FAME or UCOMe (used cooking oil methyl ester) is produced by esterifying a natural oil or fat (vegetable oil or animal fat) with methanol to produce biodiesel and glycerol. Once the glycerol is removed from the biodiesel, it’s then added to all road transport diesel in order to meet the UK Government’s Road Fuel Transport Obligation (RTFO).

The ester bond present within biodiesel (FAME and UCOMe) is weak and can be attacked by water, oxygen and diesel bug which produces sludge when stored. The properties of biodiesel are a function of the raw materials used and therefore vary across producers and batches.

In an attempt to reduce the environmental impact of fossil fuels the amount of first-generation biodiesel which is aged to fuels is being increased year-on-year by governments. This is leading to increased issues with fuel storage and operational performance, such as cold temperature flow and filter plugging. If used as a 100% fuel, first-generation biodiesel may also be more damaging to the environment as it can increase particulate and NOx emissions.

HVO fuel fully meets the RTFO and therefore can be used as a 100% fuel with no addition of first-generation biodiesel, removing all the operational problems that can happen when using this type of fuel.

Q: What is the difference between FAME diesel and HVO fuel?

A: When it comes to knowing the difference between HVO renewable diesel and traditional biodiesel, the differences may seem subtle but are quite different.

With its paraffinic petrochemical structure, HVO is functionally almost identical to fossil diesel and can, therefore, be used and handled as a drop-in alternative to fossil diesel without needing to amend infrastructure or clean out existing stock. However, while similar to regular diesel in terms of energy content, density, viscosity and flash point, HVO fuel has a number of advantages over fossil fuels.

The chemical process used to manufacture HVO fuel ensures a consistent product that contains no esters or contamination; factors which can adversely affect the performance of the fuel either at the point of use or after extended storage.

As the legislative requirement for “bio” content in fuel increases, the FAME content in fossil fuels will also increase. HVO fuel meets the requirements of current legislation - it’s 100% bio and FAME-free, so it doesn’t face the issues of stability faced by many existing biodiesel and gas oil products.

This makes HVO a much more stable product than mineral diesel with a reduced risk of degradation when in storage due to zero FAME and sulphur content. The production process affords a shelf life of up to ten years, providing good storage and maintenance, as opposed to the comparatively short 1-year shelf life of mineral diesel.

With a high cetane number of greater than 70 and low cloud point of -32^oc, HVO provides improved cold start performance, clean combustion and less chance of waxing in extreme temperatures than regular DERV.

Q: What is the cetane number of diesel?

A: Mineral diesel has a cetane number of 51 and FAME biodiesel has a cetane number between 50 and 65 -whereas HVO has a cetane number between 70 and 90 which provides better starting performance, clean combustion and less chance of waxing in extremely cold weather.

Q: Can my vehicle run on pure HVO fuel?

A: Yes. The similarities between mineral diesel and HVO mean that it can be used as a drop-in alternative in most cases. But it’s always best to check with your engine manufacturer first.

Q: Can you mix HVO fuel and diesel?

A: Yes. HVO fuel is fully miscible with mineral diesel so you can simply top up your existing diesel stocks and go! However, many of the benefits will be lost if they are mixed due to diesel’s properties. When possible, it’s best to start a fresh with a clean tank of HVO to guarantee its long storage life and high-quality attributes.

Q: What additional infrastructure is needed for HVO fuel?

A: HVO fuel can be used as a direct drop-in alternative for regular diesel without needing to amend existing infrastructure. Paraffinic fuels can be blended with current stocks without having to empty tanks, saving you the cost of an additional upfront investment to make the switch.

Q: How long can you store HVO fuel for?

A: Thanks to the way HVO is produced, it can be left in storage for up to 10 years, as long as you ensure good tank maintenance and storage conditions. It’s still important to get checks on your tank and fuel, but the chance of degradation is much lower than with mineral diesel, which can only be stored for up to 1 year.

Q: Is HVO fuel already in use?

A: Yes. In fact, Sweden is leading the way in terms of biofuels, after passing legislation in 2017 to make them exempt from tax. This saw a 124% increase in HVO fuel sales in October 2017 compared to the year prior, with green diesel alternatives taking up 28% of the market, of which 83% was HVO fuel.