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Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) Biodiesel

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Hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) is a form of biofuel that has been produced from vegetable fats and oils. In the production process of HVO hydrogen is used as a catalyst. This draws out the oxygen from the biomass mixture. In comparison to Fatty Acid Methyl Esters (FAME) biodiesel, which uses methanol as catalyst, it fails to remove oxygen from the biomass mixture and will cause oxidation in fuel tanks. As a result of oxidation FAME biofuels have a short shelf life due to contamination of esters in the biomass mixture. Esters will eventually cause residu build up and clogging of filters. For this reason HVO is a more environmentally friendly diesel alternative and has a longer shelf life and lesser maintenance than regular biodiesel.

HVO can be used in regular diesel engines without any retrofitting technologies. HVO does not contain any sulfur or aromatics and is also a more clean burning oil than diesel. Therefore the combustion of HVO reduces nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions, no sulpher oxide (SOx) emissions and lower particulate matter (PM) and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions compared to gasoline or diesel.

 

Owner(s) / Author(s)
EIBIP Secretariat
Publication date
03/12/2019
Date of entry
17/12/2019
Date of updated
17/12/2019