UK: ‘Until a firm commitment is made to electrification of the UK network, hydro-treated vegetable oil is the only credible solution to rail freight decarbonisation’, according to DB Cargo UK’s Chief Sales Officer Roger Neary. ’More services could be operated with HVO if the right policies and incentives were in place to enable more customers to make the switch.’
His comments came when DB Cargo UK announced on August 5 that it is now using HVO to fuel all of the trains it operates to Drax power station, after electricity generator Drax Group decided to switch to the 100% renewable fuel as part of a programme to reduce its carbon footprint.
The HVO is made through the hydrotreatment of vegetable oils or animal fats derived from 100% waste products; DB Cargo UK says no virgin products are used.
DB Cargo UK currently operates around 60 trains a week to Drax, transporting around 4·5 million tonnes/year of biomass pellets which account for 57% of Drax’s total fuel. Switching the operations from traditional diesel to HVO is expected to reduce emissions by up to 90%, saving over 12 000 tonnes of carbon each year.
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