DB Cargo test 66 on Hydro-treated Vegetable Oil (HVO)

[pre65]

An article from Railfreight.com on DB Cargo using Hydro-treated Vegetable Oil (HVO) as an alternative to red diesel.

Good to see the freight section being more environmentally friendly.

https://www.railfreight.com/railfrei...vo-66-to-work/

[DSY011]

Good for Railfreight for taking a lead in alternative fuel for the rail network.

[aussiesteve]

Wonder if the exhaust smells like fish and chips.
Many moons ago a work cohort delved into home made bio-diesel.
Had his 4wd converted.
Yes, it worked, but he had to cart his own fuel supply in a trailer.
No bio fuel available anywhere and once the donk is converted ya can't use normal diesel.
It was not as oomphish as normal diesel.
IRA mob here trialed two of their Helgas (NoHAB MZ3 JT36C) ex DSB things on natural gas.
Not a success due to the lack of oomph.
Plus, also a drama for refueling.
Me thinks that diesel will be around for a while yet.
Just like digging up black diamonds.
Most of the Aussie railways would be broke if they didn't transport black diamonds.
Steve.

[Beeyar Wunby]

If you want to read about HVO, here's a linky....

Crown Oil - Fuel & lubricants

Steve's comment about his colleague not being able to use diesel in his 4WD once he'd converted to Bio got me thinking. Apparently with this latest stuff you can. The above link mentions this..

Q: Can you mix HVO fuel and diesel?
A: Yes, HVO fuel is fully miscible with mineral diesel so you can simply top up your existing diesel stocks and go! However, many of the benefits will be lost if they are mixed due to diesel’s properties. When possible, it’s best to start a fresh with a clean tank of HVO to guarantee its long storage life and high-quality attributes.

So that's nice. Having studied Science in my youth, and being an old cynic now, I can't help wondering if there isn't a catch somewhere.

Maybe it's because it has to be grown as a crop, and the world is going to to need loads of arable land to feed many more people in the future. We're told that eating cows and sheep is bad for the planet.

But it's good to see that someone is trying to get the emissions down. Good on DB for giving it a go.

[aussiesteve]

Paraffinic weasel fuel sounds like the go.
Be able to cleans yer hands with it while pumping it into the tank.
The main problem with the bio weasel here at the start was the availability of waste cooking oil.
At first when only a few people were producing their own bio weasel, Maccas etc were only too eager to dispose of it to them people.
But, as capitalism usually goes, as more got into it, then Maccas etc realized that they could make moolah out of flogging the waste cooking oil.
And, the main concern was any spark occurring nearby the production until the process was complete.
VERY volatile, KABOOM if you gets it wrong.
But, after the process is complete, you got bio weasel and soap.
Lets face it, many progressive developments over the eons have later turned out to be HORRENDOUS.
Lead in fuel for lubrication, and also paint.
Asbestos for fire retardant.
The horse and cart for piles of doo doo in the middle of the street.
Pedestrian power sounds like the least problematic.
Steve.