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Cut your carbon footprint with HVO-powered generators

Cut your carbon footprint with HVO-powered generators

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Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) as a fuel source has seen a recent uptick in popularity across a range of industries. This includes those businesses that use diesel generators for backup power.

As one of the cleanest fuels available, HVO use in industrial generators represents an exciting opportunity for those looking to reduce their carbon footprint. 

Plus, adapting your organisation’s processes and fuel consumption can help enhance your ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) strategy. 

What is HVO?

HVO is a renewable alternative to fossil diesel fuel. Its green credentials are pretty impressive. 

Using HVO rather than diesel offers a reduction in CO2 emissions of up to 90%. It also significantly reduces nitrogen oxide (NOx), particulate matter (PM) and carbon monoxide (CO) emissions.

Meeting EN15940 standards, and Fuel Quality Directive 2009/30/EC Annex II, HVO can be used as a drop-in alternative to diesel in vehicles, machinery and power generators. 

HVO is made from vegetable oils and animal fats. It’s produced through a hydrotreatment process to remove impurities. The result is a high-quality, greener fuel that can be used as a diesel replacement in engines and generators. 

How does HVO compare to traditional fossil diesel?

Using HVO instead of traditional diesel fuel has huge environmental benefits. So, it’s a very attractive option for those businesses looking to hit their carbon emissions targets. As we move towards the country-wide 2050 net zero deadline, regulations are only going to get stricter. 

Although HVO use is clearly far greener than using traditional diesel, its adoption has been fairly slow. This could be because the cost of HVO is slightly higher due to being produced in smaller quantities. 

It’s worth noting though, that the demand for renewable fuels is only going to keep increasing. So it follows that it will soon become more widely available to meet that demand. Which should drive down the price. 

With this in mind, we predict an increase in HVO adoption for power generators. So all our new generators have been developed with HVO use in mind, as well as more traditional fuel options.

Can HVO be used in diesel generators?

Lots of organisations have standby generators ready to make sure their critical operations continue in the case of a power cut. And those businesses need a fuel source on site to power those generators. 

Traditionally, that fuel source has been mineral diesel. But lately we’ve had more enquiries about using HVO with our generators and whether it can be done.

And the short answer is, it depends. You can use HVO in all our new generator ranges, which have been specially developed to be able to run on different types of fuel. And, depending on the model, you can use HVO in your existing diesel generators in just the same way as you would use mineral diesel. 

The only thing you need to bear in mind when switching from traditional diesel to HVO is that you need to fully clean your fuel system, pumps and engine first. 

This is because HVO has slightly different constituents. But once everything is properly prepared, there’s no difference in the experience of using this fuel compared with diesel. 

Our team is more than happy to discuss this with you so you can put a plan in place.

What HVO adoption means for your ESG strategy

Having a strong ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) strategy in place really helps businesses attract customers, investors, and higher calibre employees. It also enhances company reputation and can lead to lower long-term running costs. 

Businesses keen to grow and thrive would do well to pay close attention to their ESG strategy. And a good way to fulfil the environmental aspect of that strategy is to look for ways to minimise your impact on the planet. 

The drive towards lower carbon emissions is more pressing than ever. Organisations are seeking to use more renewable energy sources in a bid to reduce their carbon footprint. 

HVO is a renewable source of fuel, which is clearly preferable to relying on fossil fuels, especially given our 2050 net zero target.  Plus, CO2 emissions from the generator itself are reduced by up to 90%. Not to mention the lower levels of NOx, particulate matter and carbon monoxide being released into the atmosphere. 

To find out more about Dale’s range of generators and how you can go about using HVO as your fuel source, get in touch today to talk to our team. Email us at hello@dalepowersolutions.com, or call us on +44 (0)330 999 3000.


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