Articles

The role of HVO fuel in sustainable construction logistics

Posted by Lignacite

Construction logistics, such as material deliveries and waste collections, account for a large share of a construction project's total CO₂e emissions. In fact, a study of Swedish construction projects, but broadly applicable across much of the world, states that the share is around 10%. For an industry that already contributes such a vast amount of pollution in both material production and energy consumption, those of us in construction must find ways to reduce these harmful emissions where possible. An ideal area where this can be done immediately is in logistics.

Alternative fuels are already here. HGVs (Heavy Goods Vehicles) no longer rely solely on diesel and can instead be powered by innovative, renewable, synthetic fuels that greatly support decarbonisation. The safest, most practical, and top-performing of these fuels is HVO.

In this article, we'll discuss HVO, its benefits, and why it can be an ideal solution for construction professionals seeking to reduce harmful emissions across their projects.

What is HVO fuel?

HVO, which stands for Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil, is a synthetic fuel made of sustainable materials such as vegetable oils, cooking oils, and animal fats. Some of these materials come from renewable crops grown for HVO production, while others are recovered from waste streams. They undergo a process called 'hydrotreatment' to produce a clean and stable fuel.

HVO is a renewable, second-generation gas oil that performs exactly as diesel does while offering up to 90% reduced CO₂ emissions, as well as reduced nitrogen oxide emissions, carbon monoxide emissions, and dangerous particulate matter. This, combined with the renewable materials it's made from, makes HVO an incredibly sustainable choice of fuel for a vehicle fleet.

Any vehicle that runs on diesel can run on Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil fuel. HVO is a direct 'drop-in' alternative to diesel, meaning it can be used in most diesel engines, generators, boilers, and machinery without modifications. Because HVO is almost chemically identical to diesel, when switching from diesel to HVO, you don't need to drain or clean the engine first - HVO can simply be added on top of the diesel.

When looking at carbon emissions at Lignacite, our team identified that diesel use accounted for the majority, and we began looking at ways to reduce this. Since March 2023, all our on-site diesel vehicles at the Brandon and Nazeing sites have been running on HVO fuel, saving us an amazing 440 tonnes of carbon each year and helping us on our journey to achieving net zero by 2030.

People new to the fuel often ask if HVO fuel is road legal in the UK, and the answer is yes, it is completely legal and conforms to the EN15940 standard. In fact, this is what enabled us to begin offering our customers the option to select HVO fuel for some Lignacite concrete block deliveries several years ago.

HVO vs traditional diesel for logistics

While almost identical in chemical structure, diesel and HVO are two very different fuels. Because of this, the differences lie in logistics, rather than performance, when it comes to using diesel or HVO to fuel HGVs and similar vehicles.

These differences are:

• Cold-starts - HVO fuel is superior to diesel when starting in extremely cold weather. HVO has a higher cetane number than diesel (between 70 and 90 versus 51), which means it has a better CFPP (Cold Filter Plugging Point). This means HVO is significantly less likely to gel, wax, or clog the engine when starting in cold temperatures. White diesel tends to suffer when temperatures drop to -7°C to -10°C, whereas HVO can withstand temperatures down to -27°C.
• Storage stability and shelf life - HVO has a much longer shelf life than diesel, and also won't degrade in the same way diesel does when stored. When kept in bulk tanks for long periods of time, diesel can start to suffer from a range of issues: oxidation, water absorption, and microbial growth. This can result in diesel that clogs and damages engines when finally used. HVO has a more stable structure, so it doesn't suffer from the same degradation and can be stored for years, rather than the months recommended for diesel.
• Combustion - HVO burns cleaner than diesel. Even modern ultra-low sulphur diesel (ULSD) still contains trace sulphur, along with metals and aromatics, which release particle and pollutant emissions during combustion. HVO fuel is virtually free of all three, meaning it produces significantly fewer harmful emissions and burns more completely.
• Cost - HVO fuel is more expensive than diesel. For smaller logistic businesses or smaller businesses placing delivery orders, opting for HVO can have a monetary impact. This cost difference often poses the main issue for fleet operators considering the fuel switch. However, it is taxed the same as diesel for road use as the UK government recognises it as a heavy oil.
• Sourcing and supply - While availability is still increasing, HVO is still not as easily available as diesel, especially in everyday petrol stations. Because of this, many businesses will bulk-buy and store HVO fuel to sustain their fleet. However, it is largely available at many commercial forecourts across the UK.

For businesses operating in logistics and construction, these differences add up and affect nearly every part of how a fleet runs. HGVs making early-morning or overnight deliveries in extreme cold will benefit from HVO's cold-start reliability. Construction firms running generators, plant machinery, and on-site vehicles will benefit from HVO's long-storage life without the risk of degradation and, subsequently, equipment or vehicle damage - we can attest to this benefit ourselves.

HVO's cleaner burning supports businesses in these industries in reaching environmental and air quality goals. Logistics and construction are huge contributors to pollution, and anything that can be done to balance these dangerous emissions should be considered. A fuel change from diesel to HVO can make all the difference by offering operators a way to cut emissions and carbon without infrastructure changes and vehicle switches.

The environmental benefits of HVO

As stated previously, HVO can cut CO₂ emissions by up to 90% compared to standard diesel, an incredibly impactful environmental benefit. In the context of construction logistics, this advantage goes far in decarbonisation efforts. Other environmental advantages of using HVO instead of diesel include:

• Cleaner burning means reduced particulate and nitrogen oxide emissions, resulting in improved local air quality. This contributes to a healthier environment, benefiting plant life, wildlife, and nearby communities.
• As HVO is made of renewable waste materials, it is 100% biodegradable. This means that in the event of a spill, the damage it may cause to the surrounding environment would be minimal due to its significantly low toxicity levels.
• HVO production can contribute to a circular economy, as it's often made with waste and residue materials. Because its production draws on these existing waste streams, it reduces landfill waste of those materials, turning discarded waste into a resource and helping close production loops.

How HVO can help lower the carbon footprint of your supply chain

At Lignacite, we're committed to doing what we can to reduce toxic emissions in construction logistics. Part of how we achieve this is by offering our customers the choice to switch to HVO fuel for selected block deliveries from our Nazeing factory. Choosing an HVO delivery can help you lower the carbon footprint of your supply chain in numerous ways.

Using HVO can support you in reducing your project's CO₂ emissions by up to 90% compared to standard diesel. GHG (Government Greenhouse Gas) reporting figures for the UK show that where diesel typically produces around 2.54kg CO₂e per litre, HVO produces around 0.256kg CO₂e per litre. When rounded up to 1,000 litres, that's 2.54 tonnes for diesel, and just 265kg for HVO.

Your delivery fuel choice matters. Under EN 15978 whole-life carbon assessments, transport of products to site is reported within Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Stage A4. By choosing HVO for eligible deliveries, project teams can help reduce the carbon associated with this stage while supporting lower transport emissions across the supply chain.

And when we revisit the previous statistic of construction transport being responsible for around 10% of a construction project's CO₂e emissions, we see just how much of a difference it can make. By opting for HVO, you can directly reduce the carbon associated with A4 transport, helping to lower delivery-related emissions without changing the specified product. Switching eligible deliveries to HVO offers a practical way to reduce the impact of this stage without changing the product specification.

How HVO supports certifications and tenders

BREAAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method), the UK's leading assessment and certification system for environmental performance, awards credits for emission reduction within its 'materials' category. Delivery is part of a material's lifecycle, and so falls under this category. Using HVO-fuelled deliveries is a solid, evidence-backed action a contractor can use when gathering data for these credits for a certificate.

When tenders score bids on carbon evidence and require a low-carbon supply chain as a priority, you'll need quantifiable evidence to cite. Opting for HVO fuel gives you a third-party-certified credential to cite in your bids, rather than a claim with no numerical data to back it.

Helping you build greener

We have been putting continued efforts into reducing our carbon emissions and reaching net zero by 2030, 20 years before the Government's target of 2050, for many years now. We're ensuring all our on-site vehicles run on HVO fuel and offering customers the choice of HVO for deliveries within a 50-mile radius of Nazeing, Essex, with plans to expand on this in the future. This helps reduce our carbon footprint (and yours) in an industry that needs to cut emissions.

If you're interested in learning more about our efforts in making construction more sustainable, don't hesitate to get in touch with the Lignacite team.