Where can I fill up with the green fuel HVO – and how much does it cost?
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July 16, 2024
HVO is finally here: Since 29 May, the climate-friendly HVO-100 diesel can be sold and refuelled at petrol stations in Germany. The eco-diesel can already be tapped at the first petrol stations. The necessary ordinance was published in the Federal Law Gazette.
This means that drivers of existing cars can fill up with a new, climate-friendly type of fuel at the pumps with HVO – and convert their diesel combustion engine to 90 percent of CO emissions2 free. According to the Federal Motor Transport Authority, there are a good 14 million cars, trucks and other vehicles with diesel engines on the road in Germany.
As a diesel driver, you now have the choice of filling up with fossil diesel or HVO. The new fuel, also known as XtL or climate diesel, comes from used vegetable oils, fish residues and other organic waste materials – and has been converted into a combustible fuel with the inclusion of hydrogen.
This makes it environmentally friendly, because HVO – or "Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil" – does not come from fossil deposits that are millions of years old, but is produced from waste materials from biologically produced fats and oils. These are a few years old at most, the air CO2 has therefore only recently been converted by the plant.
Since the fuel is renewable, it can therefore be used – similar to Fully synthetic e-fuels – enable older combustion engines to have a better climate balance. For example, the almost CO2-neutral fuel long before the EU combustion engine phase-out in 2035 – the recently again in doubt by the car industry – can also be used for young and old cars with combustion engines. Until synthetic fuels, so-called E-fuels, which replace fossil fuels, is likely to be years away.
Image: eFUEL-TODAY
How much does HVO cost at German petrol stations?
According to the ADAC, a nationwide average price cannot yet be formed because too few filling stations offer the alternative diesel so far. In many places, for example in the Cologne area, there are no offers. Overall, the price is currently between five and eight cents higher than that of diesel fuel (here are Information on current fuel prices). The price is still a fixed price and could be linked to the diesel price in the future, said Axel Niesing, managing director of the independent petrol station BfT Willer, in response to an AUTO BILD inquiry.
This costs HVO 100 in these cities
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City
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Price (Euro / Liter)
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Berlin
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1,73 Euro
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Bonn
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1,74 Euro
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Bremen
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1,83 Euro
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Frankfurt
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1,70 Euro
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Hamburg
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1,69 Euro
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Hanover
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1,72 Euro
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Leipzig
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1,89 Euro
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Mülheim/Ruhr
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1,68 Euro
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Munich
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1,69 Euro
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Stuttgart
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1,67 Euro
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At the petrol station chain Classic the price for HVO 100 is already linked to that for conventional diesel. There it costs ten cents more, like a Classic-Spokeswoman AUTO BILD announced. Due to the coupling to the diesel price, there may be daily fluctuations. Klimadiesel 25, which consists of one third of plant residues, costs Classic from six cents per liter more than diesel fuel.
From Classic there will also be a price forecast: We assume that with increasing demand, economies of scale will arise in the area of production and logistics and thus prices will fall.""
Here you will find the nearest petrol station with HVO 100.
How much HVO will be delivered to the gas stations?
That is still difficult to say. Classic, for example, cannot yet make any statements about sales volume. However, the petrol station chain assumes "that volumes will also increase as a result of the approval and with growing awareness of the fuel". When asked about the share in relation to the sales volume of diesel, there was no information so far.
What standard does the fuel comply with?
The biofuel meets the DIN EN 15940 standard for classic diesel fuel (paraffinic diesel). Diesel with an increased admixture of biodiesel, so-called B10, is to be offered shortly.
What are the new XtL fuels such as HVO?
The most important labelling of the new fuels is XtL. This stands for "X to Liquid", i.e. any starting material that can be used in combustion engines and is used as an energy carrier in liquefied form. There are two processes for producing these paraffinic fuels synthetically: the Fischer-Tropsch process and the use of hydrogenated vegetable oils, which is where the name HVO comes from.
- Fuels produced using the Fischer-Tropsch process are produced on the basis of a synthesis gas, which is a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen. With the help of this gas, a flammable liquid is produced with the addition of other substances. If biomass is used, the fuel is called biomass-to-liquid (BTL), coal-to-liquid (CTL) for coal, and gas-to-liquid (GTL) for natural gas.
- If the basic material for synthetic diesel consists of hydrogenated vegetable oils, hydrogen is needed in turn. It is used as a catalyst to convert vegetable oils obtained from biomass or fry fat into flammable hydrocarbons. HVO can be refueled in its pure form – or alternatively as an admixture with fossil diesel to "stretch" it. With an admixture of 33 percent, the substance is then called, for example, climate diesel 25 (the CO2effort in production is taken into account) or HVO 100 or Klimadiesel 90. For a time, the name "C.A.R.E. Diesel" also existed – this is a private label of the world's largest producer Neste from Finland. In the meantime, Neste has renamed the product "My Renewable Diesel". The energy company Shell already offers HVO to business customers as renewable diesel.
Even now, CO can be used in isolated cases2-Fill up with reduced fuels, as with the Classic petrol station chain.
Image: Matthias Brügge / AUTO BILD
Transport and logistics associations have spoken out in favour of CO2-low-energy fuels such as HVO 100 should be subject to a significantly lower energy tax than mineral oil fuels. HVO 100 costs around 0.15 euros more per litre than mineral diesel to produce. There is also a relief: From the CO2 levy HVO is exempt.
What affects the price of HVO
Which car models can fill up with green diesel?
"Modern diesel engines are basically suitable for this," says Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP). In a statement by ADAC, the energy industry association Uniti, the motor vehicle trade, the logistics associations and some truck manufacturers, it says: "There is no need for technical adjustments or conversions of the vehicles or the nationwide filling station network." However, the ADAC points out that the approval of fuel for an engine is generally up to the vehicle manufacturer.
For example, Peugeot and Citroën all vehicles of the Euro 5 and Euro 6 emission classes are approved for refuelling with HVO and other paraffinic fuels.
Audi has released all V6 diesels up to 286 hp that have been produced since mid-February 2022. In addition, since June 2021, all four-cylinder engines in the A3, Q2 and Q3 can be refueled with the eco-diesel. Audi does not want to make a statement about car models built before 2015 (including modern classics).
BMW has approved all diesel models, including older model series. This also applies to Cupra. Toyota will release all diesels in new versions from 2023 Land Cruiser and Hilux free. Proace models are already released today. There is no approval for vehicles with engines from the GM Group. Renault and Dacia allow all vehicles from the EU6d emission standard to be refueled with B7 and B10 diesels. Nissan approves all diesel models from Euro 6 onwards for green diesel of all kinds.
VW will allow all diesel cars to be refueled with the new ecodiesel from production in mid-2021. In addition, all Touareg with V6 diesel between 231 and 286 hp. Seat and Skoda allow all models to be refuelled with the EA288 evo engine family from production week 25/2021. Refueling is safe for all four-cylinder TDI from VW from 06/2021. A current List of shares is available with the DAT.
Where can I fill up with HVO?
HVO will probably be introduced gradually, first at some petrol stations, later at several, according to a statement from the petrol station operator BfT. The new fuel will not be available at every petrol station, "but will only be offered gradually across the board," ADAC also expects. If you want to know where to get the climate fuel, you can find petrol stations at of this map.
The background is also a technical one, because it is hardly to be expected that petrol stations will install new petrol pumps for HVO. Instead, existing columns could be repurposed for HVO. BfT argues that it would be welcome if E5 petrol no longer had to be kept in stock by petrol stations: "This would free up space for HVO."
The first HVO products can already be refuelled regionally. For example, the German petrol station chain offers Classic the product KlimaDiesel 25, which consists of 33 percent old vegetable oil and, according to the manufacturer, up to 25 percent CO2 emissions Saves. KlimaDiesel 25 is subject to the same DIN specifications as diesel made from mineral oil and can therefore be used without approval.
The odourless HVO 100 climate diesel is to be available at many petrol stations in May 2024. In Hoya, Lower Saxony, you can already fill up with Klimadiesel 25 and Klimadiesel 90, i.e. a mixture with biodiesel – but only if you join a club.
Image: Matthias Brügge / AUTO BILD
Until now, HVO 100 was only allowed to be offered in closed systems. Those who belong to a corresponding group of users can also fill up with the new fuel as a private customer at some of the HVO filling stations, for example at six branches of the German Classic brand (mainly in Westphalia). To do this, they must formally join a Classic club and certify the safety of the fuel for their engine. This will change with the general release.
Beside Classic the Schleswig-Holstein petrol station operator bft Willer also has "KlimaDiesel 90" on offer, which produces 90 percent CO2-neutral. It consists of 100 percent processed vegetable oil waste, CO2 was only released during processing and transport. The fuel does not contain palm fat. Here, the price has so far been 18 cents per litre higher than that of conventional diesel fuel.
A separate pump for diesel without petroleum content: At bft Willer in Kiel you can fill up with HVO.
Image: Anton Willer GmbH & Co. KG
The previously closed circles of HVO users include, for example, company fleets. For example, Hamburg Airport refuels its fleet of airfield vehicles with the recycling diesel "My Renewable". It is produced by Neste from Finland, the world's largest producer of recycled diesel.
Will HVO be enough for everyone in the long term?
Unfortunately, this is not to be expected. In addition to the spatial restrictions, the quantities produced are also not foreseeable at present. For example, the EU Court of Auditors recently criticized that there is still no viable solution for alternative fuels. It is not to be expected that they will be available nationwide, according to the EU auditors. "Biofuels do not represent a reliable and credible alternative to cars," said a spokesman. The biomass produced in Europe is also not sufficient. If imports are needed for alternative fuels, the EU will continue to make itself dependent on other countries. In addition, the EU Court of Auditors currently considers biofuels to be too expensive.
Image: Argus Media
The Ministry of the Environment in Berlin also warns that there is only a limited amount. Used cooking oils - for example from the catering industry - are already being used completely in traffic as an admixture, said a spokesman. This amount cannot be increased.
What is the difference between HVO and biodiesel B10?
In addition to HVO, biodiesel B10 is also to be added to petrol stations from May, in which the proportion of biodiesel from plant residues will be increased to 10 per cent, unlike the current B7 diesel. Compared to biodiesel, which disappeared from petrol stations more than ten years ago as a separate fuel brand, alternative diesel is not produced from raw materials such as rapeseed oil, but from waste.
No vegetable oil or grain is converted into fuel, so there is no competition with food. According to the presentation of Classic the recycled fuel burns even cleaner than conventional diesel. In many European countries, the procedure has been practiced for a long time.
Important: HVO and other alternative diesel fuels are not biodiesel in the former sense. Until 2012, plant-based fuel, often produced from rapeseed oil, was offered at petrol stations as a separate type of fuel called biodiesel, which was up to ten cents cheaper than conventional diesel. Then he lost his tax privilege and disappeared.
How does the AUTO BILD KLASSIK test car with HVO work?
Since the end of 2023, AUTO BILD KLASSIK has been refuelling its endurance test classic, a Citroën XM Turbodiesel (built in 1990) which has over 100,000 km mileage, exclusively with HVO. The initial starting problems with the Citroën XM did not come from the fuel. But even with conventional fuel, the difficulties remained.
Picture: Sven Krieger / AUTO BILD
In the meantime, two tanks of conventional diesel were used to discover differences. With the result that nothing changed. This confirms the assessment of many experts: The alternative fuel can be used in existing engines without much effort and can also be sold via the current filling station network.
What do you have to consider before refueling HVO?
In any case, look at the inside of the fuel filler flap: If there is a small square with the three letters "XTL" there, the engine can tolerate HVO. In older vehicles, you should check whether all rubber pipes, hoses and seals in the fuel system are in a technically perfect condition before the changeover.
Background: Conventional diesel contains aromatics that keep the fuel-carrying components supple and thus tight. HVO does not contain any aromatics. If a unit with porous, barely tight hoses is converted from diesel to HVO, there is a risk that the old hoses will quickly leak.
Picture: Sven Krieger / AUTO BILD
However, this only applies to materials made of rubber. Such worn rubber lines would also leak at some point in diesel operation. By replacing or checking these components (usually cheap by the meter) before the HVO first refueling, there is no technical risk for operation with HVO, even with very old diesel engines.
Now manufacturers are called upon to design new vehicles for the use of paraffin diesel and to test the compatibility of older models.
Does HVO behave differently in the engine than diesel?
Basically, HVO is as good as diesel, in the technical sense even higher quality. HVO 100 is free of aromatics and therefore odourless, as one of the authors of this article was able to see for himself by smelling a bottle. When burned, the liquid is almost smokeless and odorless. Due to its higher cetane number of 74 compared to around 54 for fossil mineral oil diesel, HVO 100 has a positive influence on the combustion behavior in the engine.
Whether it's a pre-chamber tractor from the 1950s or a modern common-rail diesel with exhaust gas recirculation, turbocharger and particulate filter. The fact that this produces around 30 percent less nitrogen oxides and particulate matter is not only positive for environmental reasons: the wear and tear of components such as particulate filters and exhaust gas recirculation valves is also lower.
The special feature of HVO is also its resistance to the so-called diesel plague, which can occur during longer periods of idle time and contaminate the fuel system. So especially for classics that stand for a long time, this fuel offers advantages. HVO burns much cleaner than biodiesel or mineral oil diesel. According to the manufacturer, unlike biodiesel, HVO is also well compatible with the material in its pure form and does not cause any damage to the sealing materials in the engine.
How well do cars tolerate alternative fuels?
In the ADAC test, several vehicles were refuelled with alternative fuels over a longer period of time, including a VW Golf 8 with e-fuels. In addition, a BMW 320d and a VW Touran TDI powered by HVO. The result: nitrogen emissions of eco-diesel fell by around 40 percent. Due to the lower energy density of HVO, the consumption of the two diesel engines increased slightly, but the CO2issue remained the same.
VW Touaregs with V6 diesel of the power level 231 to 286 hp are already allowed to fill up with the new eco-diesel today.
Picture: Lena Willgalis / AUTO BILD
The ADAC concludes from the result that many vehicles could already fill up with e-fuels – and HVO. The important difference between HVO and e-diesel is that the standard diesel standard EN 590 is not met, only DIN EN 15940. So not all diesel models can tolerate the fuel. Many manufacturers still lack approval, complains the ADAC. "The fuels work perfectly, as long as the models are approved for the respective fuel."
Japan Alliance for Biodiesel and Hydrogen Engines
The Japanese Alliance for Biofuels from Mazda, Toyota, Subaru as well as Kawasaki and Yamaha is still in the process of optimising the combustion engines, it will work together in the future on Biodiesel-and Hydrogen engines. The aim is to reduce CO2emissions from climate-neutral driving.
The Japanese see great potential in the optimization of Internal combustion enginesto reduce their carbon footprint. An important key to this is CO2-neutral fuels.