Future Ready Fuels ( HVO )
For over 50 years heating oil has been a popular choice for homes off the gas grid.
To tackle climate change and achieve the UK’s net zero target, we need to transition away from fossil fuels. We believe renewable liquid fuels are the ideal alternative.
Dramatic reductions in your household emissions can be achieved simply by changing the type of fuel you use.
The liquid fuel heating industry has demonstrated an alternative to kerosene called Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) that cuts emissions by up to 88%.
The renewable liquid fuel works well in all existing oil heating systems following a simple cost-effective conversion process.
The good news is you don’t need to buy an expensive new heating system.
What is HVO fuel?
HVO, short for hydrotreated vegetable oil, is a biofuel derived from animal, plant or algae remains. Unlike traditional liquid fuels like fossil petroleum, natural gas and coal, biofuels like HVO are considered to be renewable energy sources. This is because the materials used for creating HVO diesel can be easily replenished, these fuels are often referred to as green or renewable.
Contrary to what the name suggests, HVO is no longer exclusively made from vegetable oils. This name originated from the last decade when the only feedstock available to produce HVO was types of vegetable oils. Now, HVO can be made from a wider range of materials, including residual animal fat from the food industries, used cooking oil, and more.
So what are the advantages and disadvantages?
Advantages of Future Ready Fuels HVO
1. Environmentally friendly
Since HVO fuels are created from vegetable oils and other easily replenishable materials, the strain on the environment is much less than when other fuel types are produced. Additionally, the use of hydrogen as the catalyst for the reaction, as opposed to methanol, makes HVO fuel cleaner when used. The emissions of harmful substances like CO2 are also lower when HVO fuels are burned than those from other fuel types.
2. Longer shelf life
As well as being cleaner to use, another advantage of using hydrogen as a catalyst in the production process is that the resulting fuel has a far longer shelf life.
3. Can be used without changing your infrastructure
HVO fuel is considered as a drop-in fuel, which means you don’t have to change your existing infrastructure or equipment if you decide to make the change to HVO fuel.
Disadvantages of Future Ready Fuels HVO
1. More costly to use
Switching to HVO fuel can involve higher operating expenditure than regular fuels. With that said, it does offer lower upfront capital expenditure when compared to other renewable fuels. This is because HVO is a suitable drop-in replacement to traditional diesel, and you won’t have to update your existing equipment to accommodate it. This is highly beneficial because updating your existing infrastructure to accommodate a new fuel type can be more costly than the fuel price increase itself.
2. Limited places to purchase
There is limited availability for the supply of HVO fuel in UK at present, as the country’s supply chain is not yet sufficiently developed. However, if you are interested in making the switch, you can find a range of companies that are currently selling HVO fuel.
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