Flynn promoting an alternative to diesel for vehicles

A clean, green alternative to diesel is what hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO) represents, says Thomas Flynn of The Downs, who for two years now has been selling HVO through his company Tria – and using the product himself.

“I brought the first load of this in two years ago on the June bank holiday weekend, and since that, I have my car running on it; all the farm machinery – the tractor, combine, everything is running on it. Also forklifts. Everything in the place.

“You can put it into your car, your truck – anything that takes diesel – and it gives a 90% reduction in carbon emissions, which is huge, and an 85% reduction in particulate matter, so you have no black smuts like that’s what comes out with the diesel engine normally,” says Thomas.

“Along with that, it’s just a completely renewable fuel: it is coming from used cooking oil and animal fats.”

The processing is done by a Finnish company, and Thomas buys the product from a UK firm called Green Biofuels.

“Our depot in The Downs has storage for a million litres of this product and Green Biofuels have set up a facility down in Cork to bring it in by ship and they have storage facilities for 50 million litres down there.”

Other selling points of HVO are that it has a longer lifespan than normal diesel, meaning it is useful for generators as it stays good for 10 years. It also has a low freezing point.

At the moment, HVO is 10-12c dearer per litre than regular diesel, although Flynns are keeping the price difference down to 5-6c a litre to encourage customers to try it – but given the environmental benefits, Thomas believes the government should help narrow the gap.