Among these options, one of the most unexpected concerns Green Diesel, a fuel with extremely interesting proposals to escape petroleum pollution. Have you heard of Green Diesel? Do you know how it is produced? Come with us and we will tell you everything in this article!

What is Green Diesel?

In short, Green Diesel is a new biofuel introduction for diesel cycle engines. This fuel is very similar to the already known Diesel, which is derived from petroleum, but its raw material comes from renewable and environmentally friendly sources. This fuel has a much higher level of technology applied than regular Diesel, which is consistent with the technological advances of current automobiles. Its composition is highly stable, of higher quality and contains very few components that are harmful to the environment, and it is no wonder that many countries in Europe and the United States already use it.

Green Diesel is obtained mainly from vegetable oil, such as soybean oil. At this point, those who know more about Biodiesel – read our article on the advantages of Biodiesel by clicking here – must be wondering if the principle is not the same, and the answer is yes! However, what differentiates Green Diesel from Biodiesel is that the production of Green Diesel allows other components, such as frying oil, microorganisms, animal fat and other waste to be mixed into the same composition. Furthermore, to produce Green Diesel, the waste must undergo a hydrogenation process, that is, be placed in contact with hydrogen at high pressures and controlled temperatures, and then the fuel is created. In addition to fuel for diesel engines, the same production method allows the production of biofuels for aviation, biopropane and bionaphtha, which, in addition to reducing the production cost of all these compounds, also greatly reduces the pollution resulting from their use.

Green Diesel is also known as HVO, an acronym in English that means Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil. The pollutant emission rates of HVO are even lower than those of Biodiesel, so that CO2 emissions are almost zero when using this biofuel. In addition, other pollutants are also reduced, such as fine particulate matter, whose emissions are reduced by more than 30%, or hydrocarbon emissions (CH), which also reach the 30% range, a 24% reduction in the case of carbon monoxide (CO) and 9% less emissions of nitrogen oxides (NO).

What are the advantages of Green Diesel?
It does not compete with food production

Although Biodiesel is an excellent alternative to overcome pollution-related problems, one of the obstacles to its production is the use of foods from which the oil, which is its raw material, comes. In the case of Green Diesel, such competition does not occur, since its raw material also consists of waste, animal carcasses, and foods that are no longer suitable for consumption.

Green Diesel can be used pure

The advantages are not limited solely to environmental problems; Green Diesel also has excellent autonomy and efficiency, so that the performance of a car with Green Diesel can be compared to the performance of the same car with normal Diesel. Therefore, the efficiency of HVO allows it to be used alone in Diesel Cycle engines, without the need for mixing, as is the case with Biodiesel.

Greater stability

In addition to the other benefits, Green Diesel also has greater stability when compared to other types of Diesel, that is, it can be stored for longer and its idle period will not cause damage to the car’s components, such as pumps, injector nozzles, filters, etc.

Green Diesel is easy to produce in Brazil

Since the raw materials for Green Diesel are concentrated in animal fat and food oil, such as soybeans and sugar cane, the production of this fuel becomes very accessible in Brazil. This is because Brazil is the champion in production, both of meat, from which animal fat comes, and of soybeans, which makes it suitable to use these materials for the production of this new fuel.

About ANP specifications

The National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP) approved a resolution that defines specifications for the experimental production of Green Diesel. According to the company, “this new fuel reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 70% compared to mineral diesel oil.” They also comment on the technology applied in the development of HVO: “Renewable diesel is an advanced biofuel, with the same structure as conventional diesel.” Currently, HVO is only produced in laboratories, but it is expected that by next year (2022), its production will actually be available on the market.

The publication of this resolution appears to be a first step towards introducing Green Diesel into Brazilian territory, and it will certainly be just the first of many to come.
You can read more about the specifications on the ANP website.

After all, is it a good answer to oil?

If you were curious about this answer, we can tell you that it is! Green Diesel appears to be an excellent alternative to fuel derived from petroleum, which has been losing popularity over the years.
In addition to the environmental benefit, which has proven to be extremely strong and even superior to that from Biodiesel, there is also the issue of the scarcity of the Oil, which is not a renewable raw material, is at risk of running out.

Environmentalists and other researchers have been looking for alternatives to replace fossil fuels for some time now, and Green Diesel is perhaps one of the most promising, as it is undoubtedly the most modern.

Who knows, in the not-so-distant future, HVO may adapt to everyday needs and completely replace fossil Diesel. This will undoubtedly be a milestone in history, where we will be able to say goodbye to the familiar Diesel and open our arms to a new opportunity, which involves development, sustainability and abundance.

Did you like the article? Want to know more about Green Diesel? Talk to ON Petro!