Hydrogenated Vegetable Oils (HVOs) are a potential replacement and/or blend component for fossil diesel. HVOs provide sustainability and/or carbon credits over fossil diesel. They are paraffinic renewable diesel fuels that can be produced from sustainable raw materials. In addition, to their green credits, they have superior cetane and oxidation stability properties over conventional diesel and fatty acid methyl esters. Their green credentials and advantages have resulted in a growing market share as both a biofuel and biofuel components.
HVOs are produced by isomerisation processes of a range of different vegetable oil sources, such as rapeseed, palm and soyabean oil, as well as waste and residual fat fractions.
In this paper we investigate the different options for using HVOs. The options of using 100% HVOs (R100) from different production sources and different levels of isomerisation are compared with using HVO as a blend component (RX). The option of co-processing HVO in the refinery instead of simply blending is also considered. The advantages and disadvantages of the different HVO routes to market are discussed.
Additive technology can improve the properties of R100 and RX blends. The impact of the use of cold flow additives on the different routes to market of HVOs, with the improved value and opportunities they offer, is considered.