The Ministry of Transport has investigated the environmental certificates for fuels known as “green diesel”, a renewable diesel that is increasingly used by British fleets. [emphasis, links added]
According to a new report from Transport and Environment (T&E), HVO [Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil] The epidemic has grown dramatically among businesses aimed at reducing transportation emissions.
Government data shows that its use in the UK has risen from just 8 million in 2019 to about 699 million in 2024.
The producers of the poured biofuel claim that it can reduce carbon emissions by up to 90% due to its production from waste, such as used cooking oil.
But, after a new study conducted by T&E, whether fuels are raising serious questions about their environmental commitments, T&E has found shocking differences in the HVO fuel supply chain.
The study found that almost twice the amount of palm oil mill wastewater (POME) used in European biofuels is available worldwide.
The green certificate of HVO depends to a large extent on the source of waste, especially used cooking oils.
Official data shows that European biofuel consumes more than 2 million tons of rod oil in 2023. This is significantly more than the estimated one million tons available worldwide.
The green certificate of HVO is largely dependent on waste sources (especially used in cooking oil or pie).
Industry whistleblowers believe that a large amount of these materials are not wasteful, but are fraudulently remarked.
This suspicion is that conventional palm oil use has fallen by 80% since 2019 after the EU decided to phase out palm oil biofuels from renewable targets by 2030.
Meanwhile, waste-based alternatives (such as gypsum) have taken their place, now accounting for 40% of EU biofuels.
T&E warned that palm oil may just enter Europe under a different name.
T&E Biofuels activist Cian Delaney commented in the report: “It seems like a lot of plaster may just be camouflaged palm oil.
“This has attracted serious concern about whether this renewable diesel or HVO is like what oil professionals call green.”
Top photo of Engin Akyurt on Unsplash
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