What is HVO Fuel?

HVO or hydrogenated/hydrotreated vegetable oil is a renewable fuel that is helping businesses across the UK to make their fleets more environmentally friendly. This cleaner fuel is classed as a drop-in alternative to fossil diesel, meaning it’s simple to fuel up your fleet and reduce your emissions by up to 90%. To find out more about a fuel supply for your commercial business explore our commercial page or contact the Your NRG team. 

With businesses in the UK having a legal responsibility to lower their environmental footprint, there’s never been a better time to switch to a greener fuel and more sustainable future fuel. But exactly what is the definition of HVO fuel? What does it mean? And how can it benefit your business?

In this guide, we explain HVO fuel, answering all of these questions and more to help you power your fleet with this future fuel and reduce your emissions.

HVO fuel: what is it and what does it stand for?

HVO stands for hydrotreated or hydrogenated vegetable oil. It’s classed as a paraffinic diesel fuel, which means it’s a synthetic diesel that has been made from a feedstock — for HVO, this is a form of renewable vegetable oil, animal oil or fat. This makes HVO an ideal choice for both performance and environmental impact.

What is HVO diesel?

HVO diesel is the same as HVO fuel, which is sometimes called renewable diesel or green diesel. Although HVO is often referred to as diesel, it’s a paraffinic diesel rather than a conventional fossil fuel. The main difference is that fossil diesel is created using petroleum or crude oil, while HVO is a synthetic alternative made from renewable materials.

HVO fuel availability

As of 2021, hydrotreated/hydrogenated vegetable oils were available in 12 European countries. Here in the UK (as well as Germany and Switzerland), HVO is currently only available for off-road and commercial purposes. It’s also readily available in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia.

At Your NRG, we supply HVO fuel to companies and businesses across the UK, with no hidden fees on bulk fuel purchases. This includes a diverse range of industries and sectors that traditionally rely on diesel and kerosene, from agricultural machinery and generators to vehicles and commercial boilers.

HVO fuel benefits

HVO fuel is a cleaner, greener alternative to traditional red diesel and kerosene. This drop-in replacement adheres to EN 15940 and can deliver up to 90% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. It has received OEM approval for use as a diesel replacement by a number of heavy-duty vehicle manufacturers including DAF, Mercedes-Benz, Renault, Volvo, Scania, MAN, Daimler and Iveco.

For non-road use, the following manufacturers have approved the use of HVO fuel in their vehicles: Caterpillar, Scania, MTU, Deutz, Agco Power, Steyr and Deere. Additionally, HVO has been approved for Passenger Cars from brands including Citroen, Renault, Volvo, DS and Peugeot.

Further benefits of HVO fuel include:

• Efficiency and performance, even during cold weather
• Non-toxic and biodegradable
• HVO is made from 100% raw and renewable material

HVO fuel emissions

When used as a drop-in replacement for your existing diesel fleet, following HVO specifications, it is a renewable fuel that has been shown to reduce emissions by up to 90%. This works in two ways: by improving the cleanliness of your fleet’s engines and lowering the emissions released from your vehicles.

Firstly, HVO is clean burning and possesses fewer impurities than fossil fuels, which helps to improve the combustion of your engine. In turn, this cleaner fuel reduces the emission levels produced by your fleet, which could significantly improve not only your company’s carbon footprint, but also urban air quality.

HVO fuel heating oil for boilers

In addition to fuelling your fleet, HVO can offer the perfect solution for greener heating. Heating oil has long been a popular method of heating homes in rural areas, where many homes remain unconnected to the national gas grid. Today, HVO can provide a cleaner, fossil-free alternative for powering oil heating boilers and systems.

Simply swapping the type of oil used to heat properties can lead to dramatic reductions in your carbon footprint, with HVO fuel a more sustainable option, lowering emissions by almost 90%. Additionally, this greener alternative is a low-cost solution for those looking to improve their carbon footprint and it’s just as efficient as traditional heating oils. 

Converting your oil boiler to HVO is usually quick and simple — although we always recommend checking with your heating engineer, as older models may require upgrading.

A sustainable fuel for vehicles and heating

If you’re considering making your fleet or property fossil-free then we can help. The Your NRG team can assist with your queries, help you to reduce your carbon footprint and assist as you transition to this renewable fuel source.

Contact us today or get a free quote online to start using HVO fuels. Together we can work towards a net zero future.