HVO Is there an alternative to fossil fuels for powering vehicles? Yes, and its name is HVO, short for Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil. HVO can be extracted from plant- based raw materials and from residues or waste – e.g., wood residues, food waste, liquid ma- nure and sewage sludge. Strange but true: it is as clear as water, almost odorless and biodegrad able. HVO is otherwise similar to diesel in its properties and can be used in diesel vehicles with- out any conversion work required. And because it emits lower levels of green-house gases in the combustion process, HVO can also make a good contri bution to improving air quality. That said, HVO does not offer anything new in terms of drive technology, making it something of a transitional solution with a limited shelf life. Like other operators, Gebrüder Weiss is converting a large proportion of its truck fleet in Austria to HVO to bridge the gap to the widespread introduction of electric drive systems.
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