HVO Fuel (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil Fuel) as alternative to Diesel

[Hfivefour]

Not a regular poster but thought I would throw this out there to see if anyone bites as I searched but cold not see an existing discussion on this.

Here in the UK I have come across discussions from various oil distributors about HVO which is meant to be a straight drop in replacement for diesel. Not just for tractors but also as an alternative to central heating oil. Here in the sticks my home central heating is run on heating oil and apparently would not require a major and very expensive upgrade to such things as a Heat Exchange system.

Has anyone experience of HVO in their tractors, especially older ones, and views.

Just thought I would ask. It’s early days and may be few years before complete adoption/acceptance but appears to be approved by many manufacturers and best way forward for existing diesel units.

 

[mikester]

I don't know anything about HVO other than it uses a different process and doesn't generate glycerol.

If you have any decent links about the process post them.

 

[Hfivefour]

All I have come across are these sort of things

Crown HVO Fuel Supplier

Looking for a HVO Fuel Supplier? Get Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil, a renewable, FAME-free & fossil-free drop-in replacement for diesel delivered nationwide

www.crownoil.co.uk

HVO Fuel Supplier

HVO fuel: THE DROP-IN DIESEL ALTERNATIVE WITH 90% LOWER net CO2 GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS The UK’s net-zero target is fast approaching and cutting harmful

www.speedyfuels.co.uk

UK supplier of HVO Fuel - New Era Energy

HVO (Enhanced Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil), is a fossil-free, paraffinic fuel made from 100% renewable materials. A drop-in replacement for diesel.

hvofuels.co.uk

HVO fuel – what you need to know - Farmers Weekly

What is HVO? HVO stands for hydrogenated or hydrotreated vegetable oil. It is made by reacting vegetable or other oils with hydrogen at high temperature

www.fwi.co.uk

 

[mikester]

Unfortunately lots of sales hype in all those links.

Biodiesel was supposed to be the bees knees except that it is a solvent for some gaskets and rubber components when undiluted with dino diesel. It also supports/promotes bacteria/algae/sludge growth in your tanks.

I run veg oil in my chainsaws and find that the glycerol gums things up and even seizes the chain if left sitting a while.

You can burn pure veg oil in your diesels but you need a dual tank system. You have to start the engine with pure diesel, after it warms up you can switch to veg oil. Before stopping the engine you need to purge the fuel system of veg oil by running pure diesel again. Miss that step and you have trouble.

One of the site's says "HVO is fully miscible with regular diesel so you can top up your existing stocks. However, some of the benefits of HVO may be compromised due to mineral diesel’s properties. Therefore, it’s best to begin your HVO journey with a clean tank to ensure its extended lifespan and quality features."

The sales hype makes lots of promises, it's the surprises I'm weary of. I'd try it in an old beater Jetta for a while before putting the stuff in my expensive to repair tractor. If HVO supply is an issue then switching between dino and HVO regularly may be an issue.

 

[Captain Dirty]

All of the links provided are "infomercials" from companies that have an interest in promoting HVO. The Farmers Weekly "Advertiser content / HVO fuel – what you need to know" does enumerate some downsides-- high energy cost to produce, around 20 pence per liter premium (exacerbated by a higher volumetric fuel consumption), potential for deforestation, controversy over validity of claimed carbon reduction. My take is that HVO has the potential to become "Ethanol--The Sequel".

 

[FTG-05]

Unfortunately lots of sales hype in all those links.

Biodiesel was supposed to be the bees knees except that it is a solvent for some gaskets and rubber components when undiluted with dino diesel. It also supports/promotes bacteria/algae/sludge growth in your tanks.

I run veg oil in my chainsaws and find that the glycerol gums things up and even seizes the chain if left sitting a while.

You can burn pure veg oil in your diesels but you need a dual tank system. You have to start the engine with pure diesel, after it warms up you can switch to veg oil. Before stopping the engine you need to purge the fuel system of veg oil by running pure diesel again. Miss that step and you have trouble.

One of the site's says "HVO is fully miscible with regular diesel so you can top up your existing stocks. However, some of the benefits of HVO may be compromised due to mineral diesel’s properties. Therefore, it’s best to begin your HVO journey with a clean tank to ensure its extended lifespan and quality features."

The sales hype makes lots of promises, it's the surprises I'm weary of. I'd try it in an old beater Jetta for a while before putting the stuff in my expensive to repair tractor. If HVO supply is an issue then switching between dino and HVO regularly may be an issue.

Yep, 10 years or so ago, BD was all the rage. A bunch of start ups around here, big splash lots of news, then died with a whimper. There's not a source within 50 miles of my place.

 

[DEWFPO]

About 15 or so years ago when biodiesel came out, I started using it in my small Massey-Ferguson CUT and in a few months, the fuel rubber lines started to leak. That was something like only a 10-20% biodiesel mixture. I don't anything about this HVO or how it differs from BD.

 

[Captain Dirty]

Massachusetts has been in the vanguard of states with progressive, politically correct, plans to help "green" our planet. The Clean Energy Biofuels Act was enacted in 2008 and mandated 2% biofuels in all diesel and No.2 heating oil in 2010 increasing to 5% in 2013 and even higher percentages for state vehicles and buildings. This thread prompted me to check what percentage of biofuel was mandated today.

Lo, in 2012 the (Mass.) Dept. of Energy Resources exercised its authority given in the act and suspended the formal requirements of the Advanced Biofuels Mandate having determined that "the Massachusetts mandate is determined to be infeasible at the present time." And so it goes. Laws intended to improve our world are enacted and implemented with much fanfare only to be repealed, rescinded, revised, or suspended quietly and in fine print when it is discovered that the world doesn't work that way. (Source: Advanced Biofuels | mass.gov )

 

[zzvyb6]

Gums up injector plungers just fine. Got a Ford 3000 for junk price because their grampa was a Planet Savior. 3 new plunger's $100. Giveaway 3000: Priceless.

 

[MHarryE]

Here in Minnesota, bio-diesel B20 has been the law since 2002. Actually B20 is April to September, B5 October through March. Our state is highly agricultural and the requirement is due to the farm lobby. Not a problem for me because I got a nice check for my canola sold to a biofuel plant, less a small percentage paid to our lobbiests to who make sure we continue to have a market. They changed from B20 to B5 October 1 and the diesel price shot up 20 cents per gallon.