After The Orkney News published the story that Highland Fuels have converted their entire delivery fleet in Orkney to run on Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO). We received a variety of comments and questions about this story, including about the process used, whether palm oil was used, and was it available for home heating?

Here’s what Highland Fuels told us.

“Highland Fuels are Zemo approved under the Renewable Fuel Assurance Scheme (RFAS), which means all the procurement of the fuel is audited regularly to ensure the feedstocks are ISCC compliant.

“This means we can issue Renewable Fuel Declarations (RFD’s) for our HVO which I am more than happy to supply if they would like to see them. The RFD shows the feedstock origin, country of origin and what the feedstock is and shows what level of GHG saving you saved using the fuel.

“Palm Oil use is a common concern, and it’s use is covered in the RFD. Our feedstocks for HVO in Orkney don’t include the use of Palm Oil.

On Home Heating Highland Fuels said that it can be used.

“At the moment we are running a limited trial of the use of HVO for home heating at a small number of homes in Aberdeenshire as part of an industry wide study.

“Unlike Diesel engines, Off Grid Heating boilers do need an adjustment to the base settings and change of jets in order to operate correctly.

” It is also possible to use a blend of HVO and Kerosene to help reduce the overall cost impact of using straight HVO. HVO doesn’t current enjoy the Tax benefits we would need to see in order to make it competitive in the current financial environment. Highland Fuels are continuing efforts to lobby the government to address the disparity.

As always, The Orkney News is always happy to follow up on any story if readers require more information. You can contact us at news@theorkneynews.scot

Highland Fuels is also a member of the Renewable Fuel Declaration Scheme (RFD), which means they can provide customers with certified evidence of the HVO’s authenticity and environmental benefits.

Founded in Inverness in 1957, Highland Fuels are an independent supplier of heating oils, forecourt convenience, and commercial and marine energies across Scotland.

Fiona Grahame