Circle K, the fuel retailer, has announced that its fleet of fuel delivery tankers will now run on carbon-neutral HVO.
What is HVO?
HVO is Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil, a treated cooking oil that can be used as a bio-diesel. Circle K claims that filling its delivery fleet with this fuel cuts its carbon emissions by 90 per cent, the equivalent of taking 2,000 cars off the road. Circle K says that the fuel is made from “waste, by-products and derived products not intended for human consumption from the food industry.”
Officially, the fuel is called milesBIO HVO100 and the first filling station capable of dispensing it will be Circle K’s Dublin Port station. Other locations in Galway and Cork are being earmarked for a milesBIO HVO100 tank and pumps.
HVO is available to regular customers
While this is the first introduction of milesBIO HVO100 here in Ireland, it has been used in Circle K locations in Norway, Sweden and Denmark in recent years. Not only will milesBIO HVO100 be used in Circle K’s fleet, but it will also be available to regular customers through the Dublin Port site and eventually those in Galway and Cork. Circle K says it’s part of the company’s commitment to the Government’s plan to reduce Ireland’s CO2 emissions by 50 per cent by 2030.
Alongside the introduction of milesBIO HVO100, Circle K is also rolling out E10 unleaded petrol, which has an increased biofuel element, helping to reduce its carbon emissions. Circle K is already supporting the commercial freight and haulage sectors, being the only forecourt to offer Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) refuelling stations at Dublin Port, Cashel, Clonshaugh and Ballysimon in Limerick, with City North to follow. Circle K also has electric car charging points at 37 service stations nationwide and continues to add to this network.
Encourage others to do the same
Jonathan Diver, Fuels Director with Circle K Ireland, commented: “Circle K is committed to implementing environmentally sustainable practices across our product range and operations as well as supporting our customers to reduce their level of carbon emissions. The launch of milesBIO HVO100 across our fleet of delivery vehicles will have a significant impact in reducing emissions across our Irish operations and once fully rolled out early next year, will equate to the emissions of over 2,000 cars being removed from the road. milesBIO HVO100 is a renewable diesel product that combines both excellent technical and environmental properties, that significantly reduces the net carbon emission when compared to regular diesel fuel, while at the same time offering the same performance as conventional diesel. We are delighted to be introducing alternative fuels of this nature to Circle K Ireland and hope our lead will encourage others to do the same.”