UK: ScotRail is working with leasing company Angel Trains and fuel supplier Crown Oil to test the use of hydrotreated vegetable oil instead of diesel to power a Class 156 diesel multiple-unit.
The operator envisages that HVO could offer a transitional step towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions pending the wider availability of carbon-neutral fuels such green hydrogen.
ScotRail said the HVO made of agricultural and food production waste can be used in existing diesel engines without modification, reducing carbon emissions by up to 16% and improving air quality by almost a third.
The trial has involved the installation of a dedicated HVO fuel tank at Corkerhill depot, with weekly fuel deliveries to support the operation of the DMU in passenger service.
‘HVO has the potential to significantly lower our carbon footprint while allowing us to continue using existing diesel trains more sustainably’, said ScotRail’s Head of Sustainability Poul Wend Hansen on March 14. ‘We’re eager to see the results and assess how this fuel could be part of a greener future for rail travel.’
