HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil) is a paraffinic fuel produced from 100% renewable and sustainable raw materials (biomass to liquid, or BTL). All HVO supplied in Sweden is produced from waste and residues, e.g waste from fishing and disposed cooking/frying oil, also called 2nd generation biodiesel or “advanced biofuel”.
HVO is currently the cleanest liquid based fuel available; actually clear as water and ideal for marine applications.
An extensive test run* performed on two-engine motor yachts showed that 100% HVO helps with many diesel-related challenges that boat owners have:
- Generated significantly less smoke
- The sound level measured in dB was about 2 dB lower
- Fuel consumption was measurably lower in the partial loads areas
- Odourless – free of bad odour generated by conventional diesel fuel
HVO fossil free diesel furthermore removes all concerns about bacterial growth in biodiesel, which many boat owners typically associate with “biodiesel” (common in diesels containing RME), the risk of filter blockages from sediment and water collection in the tank, thereby significantly increasing safety. In addition to this, the product is very stable for long term storage, providing a safe stock year after year for fuel station operators and secure long term in-tank storage for e.g sailing vessels, who do not necessarily use a full tank even in one season of boating.
HVO requires no modification of the engine, can be used clean or mixed with regular diesel and reduces carbon dioxide emissions by up to 90% at 100% operation, and emits substantially fewer particles. Today, HVO is certified for use in all modern Volvo Penta marine diesel engines, as well as several large commercial manufacturers. We expect more engine manufacturers to follow suit, just like in the automotive sector, where many manufacturers, such as Volvo, Nissan/Peugeot/Citroen and BMW to name a few, have certified their engines for XTL/HVO.
All in all, it’s fairly clear that HVO100 is an excellent step towards sustainable boating.