Renewable diesel (HVO) to power Drax power station
August 7th, 2024
DB Cargo UK has announced that all trains it operates for Drax Group near Selby will now run on Hydro-treated Vegetable Oil (HVO), an environmentally friendly fuel. This switch is part of Drax Group’s efforts to reduce its carbon footprint.
Each year, DB Cargo transports 4.5 million tonnes of biomass pellets to Drax Power Station, operating about 60 trains a week. Switching from red diesel to HVO could cut carbon emissions by up to 90%, saving over 12,000 tonnes of carbon annually—equivalent to 30 million car miles.
HVO is a renewable fuel made from vegetable oils or animal fats, and it significantly reduces harmful emissions.
DB Cargo UK’s Chief Sales Officer Roger Neary said the decision by Drax to adopt the use of HVO in its trains was a win-win for both companies.
“The Government had set the rail industry a stretching target to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and remove all diesel only traction by 2040 so the use of HVO in our trains will go a long way to helping us meet that challenge,” said Roger.
“At the same time, it will help Drax meet its own sustainability targets and minimise its impact on the environment,” added Roger.
Roger concluded that ‘Until a firm commitment is made to electrification of the UK network, HVO is the only credible solution to rail freight decarbonisation. More services could be operated with HVO if the right policies and incentives were in place to enable more customers to make the switch.’