HVO vs Diesel: Which is Best For Your Next Event?
When planning an event, fuel is not just part of your budget but also part of your sustainability goals. UK festivals alone consume around 12 million litres of diesel each year, which is about 31,600t CO2e emissions (A Greener Future).
This has led event organisers to ask: HVO vs Diesel, which is best for events? Diesel has traditionally been the go-to option, but HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil) is quickly becoming a more popular option as a cleaner alternative.
In this guide, we’ll place the two side-by-side so that you can decide which is the best option for your event.
What is HVO?
HVO stands for Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil, a renewable fuel that is manufactured from waste fats and oils. It’s manufactured from these wastes through an intense refining procedure. This yields a high-quality, stable fuel designed as a cleaner-burning diesel alternative. For the events industry, HVO is a drop-in replacement for diesel. This means it’s ready for use in the majority of generators without modifications.
Key facts:
- HVO is manufactured from renewable raw materials, resulting in a significantly lower carbon footprint compared to diesel.
- HVO can cut greenhouse gas emissions by up to 90%, making it a sound choice for events wanting to be sustainable.
- From a performance perspective, HVO performs just the same as diesel in generators, delivering stable power and reliability.
For events seeking to combine power reliability with environmental sustainability, HVO is emerging as the fuel of choice.
What is Diesel?
Diesel has been the standard fuel choice in generators for many years now due to it being widely accessible, reliable and efficient, which is extremely important in temporary events.
Key facts:
- Diesel is a type of fossil fuel and is made through refining crude oil.
- Diesel has high energy density. This means it produces a lot of power from small amounts of fuel. This highlights its efficiency, which is crucial to events.
- Diesel being the industry standard for countless years, proves its reliability, making it a safe bet for events that cannot afford downtime.
Despite diesel being practical and affordable, it comes with significant environmental side effects. The average diesel generator emits approximately 2.7kg of CO2 per 1 litre of diesel used (Research Gate). During a large-scale event where thousands of litres of diesel are used, this can have a huge impact on our environment.
Cost Considerations
Historically, diesel has always been the cheaper option out of the two, which is a large factor as to why it remains so popular in the events industry today. However, as sustainability goals become more important, many organisers are trying to invest in HVO fuel.
For planners, the decision comes down to balancing budget restrictions with sustainability goals and long-term brand reputation.
Environmental Impact
A major difference between HVO and diesel is their impact on the environment. Due to diesel being a fossil fuel, every litre burned releases new carbon along with harmful particulates and nitrogen oxides into the atmosphere. This impacts the air quality and the health of people on site.
On the other hand, HVO is produced by renewable waste such as oils and fats. This means the carbon released during combustion has already been absorbed once during the natural lifecycle of the raw materials. While HVO is not completely carbon neutral, it can reduce emissions by up to 90%, significantly reducing the carbon footprint. Furthermore, HVO produces less particulate and NOx emissions, improving air quality and creating a safer environment.
Availability & Reliability
A common concern for event planners is whether HVO is as easily accessible as diesel. While diesel is still the primary source of fuel in the events industry, HVO is growing in supply and is offered by many event power specialists, including Event Sparks.
What does this mean for you? For event planners, this means that switching to HVO is super simple and there are minimal to zero logistical hurdles.
Performance in Generators
As well as cost, availability and environmental impact, performance plays a crucial role in your decision for your event. It’s important to understand that both diesel and HVO can power large festivals effectively.
As diesel has been the go-to choice for many years now, it is the proven choice for consistent power even in demanding conditions. HVO obviously burns cleaner and reduces wear and tear on equipment, making it a practical long-term investment.
The Decision: HVO vs Diesel?
While both fuels are better in different respects, the decision really falls between these two questions: are you stuck with a small, tight budget? If so, then diesel is probably the most affordable way to have assured power while planning on a budget. Or do you want to do your part for the planet? If that’s the case, then HVO is the way to go. While it is slightly more expensive, the benefit that HVO brings to our environment in reducing carbon emissions by up to 90% is a significant consideration in net-zero global action.
So you’ve made your decision now, are you looking for guaranteed power for an event on either HVO or diesel? Why not ring one of our team and let’s talk about how Event Sparks can help you with hassle-free and easy power?
