HVO - The Potential Solution For A Sustainable Future

We are an inventive species, with an incredible wealth of scientific knowledge and capability at our disposal. There’s no getting around the fact that environmental and sustainability concerns are the biggest things our knowledge and capabilities should be pointed towards. Greta Thunberg (despite any jokes at her expense) and the great David Attenborough are right – the planet’s fossil fuels capacity is finite and there is some urgency to make our way more quickly to net zero. This involves developing new and smarter ways of powering the things that we need. This is where the subject of this edition of our blog comes in. 

What is Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil?

HVO is a biofuel – a high quality, low-carbon synthetic clean liquid fuel created by the hydrocracking or hydrogenation of certain oils. It is odourless, non-toxic and biodegradable. It’s possible to make HVO from food industry waste animal fat, residue from vegetable oil processing, used cooking oil, corn oil etc. 

The process of creating HVO involves adding hydrogen to vegetable oil molecules, and removing esters and any contaminants from the fuel. The result is a paraffinic fuel almost identical chemically to mineral diesel or kerosene, but with many additional advantages over the fossil fuels. Using the HVO method, it’s possible to create petrol and diesel substitutes (as well as other types of chemical fuel). HVO can replace these, or blend with them.

HVO is currently commercially available as a diesel alternative, and it is compatible with passenger cars, freight transportation, agricultural machinery, boats and generators.

What are the benefits of HVO?

HVO is a second-generation biofuel. In other words it derives entirely from waste products – and these would almost certainly go to landfill otherwise. HVO fuel reduces CO2 emissions by almost 90% when compared to diesel or kerosene. It also lowers nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions by almost 30% and PM emissions by over 80%. For a start this means a reduction in the emissions of greenhouse gases, as well as contribution to overall cleaner air. 

HVO is 100% renewable and the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) have certified it as sustainable. HVO manufactured and supplied by reputable companies does not contain products which contribute to deforestation. 

The popularity of HVO

The use of HVO is becoming more widespread, and more visible. The world famous Glastonbury Festival and the Eurovision Song Contest rely on HVO to power their events. Sweden made the fuel tax exempt over five years ago. It seems like it is only a matter of time – and political and business will - before HVO becomes the only serious fuel alternative on a planet badly in need of more TLC. 

Having said that, it is currently a legal obligation for businesses to address environmental impact – and HVO provides a way to do that.

The storage of HVO

The hydrogenation process removes oxygen so HVO has significantly less chance of degradation or oxidation. HVO also does not absorb water in the way that first gen biofuels do, so there is no danger of diesel bug (the microbial contamination within diesel fuel, and which leads to gums and resins and other contamination problems on the interior of your storage tank). 

HVO also removes the need for regular fuel testing and maintenance programs to remove water. This amazing fuel is great if you have long term storage in mind. It can be stored for up to ten years, which is ten times longer than diesel, and means it is ideal for scenarios such as back-up generators.

Tanks for HVO from Tanks R Us

One of the questions we sometimes get asked about HVO fuels is whether new fuel tanks are required once you have made the switch. The answer, if you have been storing diesel, is no. However, it might be worth considering switching out your previous tank for a new one so that you have a completely ‘clean slate’, as it were. We have several suitable types of tank available.

1. Bunded tank: In effect, a bunded tank is a tank within a tank. The inner layer contains the oil and the outer layer is a failsafe. Bunded tanks offer the very best protection from leaks and condensation due to the insulation provided by air gaps in the bund.

1. Steel tank: Steel tanks are made from a durable material which can resist extreme weather as well as corrosion, which means that its lifespan is extended as internal or external problems take a lot longer to develop. Steel tanks are more secure against theft as they are hard to drill through and syphon from. They also weigh more so would be incredibly difficult for any potential thief to think about removing!

1. Plastic tank: Plastic tanks don’t weight much (relative to steel tanks, that is) so they are easier to transport and install. Plastic doesn’t rust and, because they’re seamless (in other words a completely sealed unit) they are unlikely to split and leak along weak points such as joints. Plastic tanks are also cheaper.

If you are thinking about making the switch to HVO biofuel, or starting off the move by complementing your current stock as you make the transition, and are considering your storage options then please get in touch with us. A member of our friendly team will be more than happy to help you sort out the right tank for you or, at the least, offer you a bit of advice. At Tanks R Us we have a large variety of commercial fuel tanks and private use fuel tanks for sale. Simply browse our site, to start…