ScotRail is trialing HVO fuel on a train in Caithness. This may lead to trains using vegetable oil to power them.
The trial started February 19 and lasts 12 weeks. ScotRail’s Corkerhill Depot is the location. Angel Trains and Crown Oil are partners.
HVO could cut railway greenhouse gas and act as a transition fuel until green hydrogen is more available. HVO is renewable and biodegradable. It also meets fire safety rules. Carbon emissions reduce by up to 16 percent, and air quality improves by almost a third when compared to diesel fuel.
HVO is a renewable fuel source made from waste products. These come from farms and food production. Greenhouse gas emissions drop up to 16%. You can use it in diesel engines now, with no engine changes needed. Air becomes cleaner with less pollutants.
A special HVO fuel tank got installed at Corkerhill Depot. They get weekly fuel deliveries there. The fuel supports one train’s operation. The train is a Class 156 unit (156 436). It keeps running as a passenger train throughout the trial.