In recent months, Europe has witnessed an increase in the availability of Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO, also marketed under the name XTL) fossil-free diesel fuel across Central and Southern Europe, in addition to already widespread public availability in Northern Europe. Since 2021, the HVO fuel is approved by Thermo King, a leader in transport temperature control solutions and a brand of Trane Technologies, as a more sustainable fuel alternative to power Thermo King’s truck and trailer refrigeration units.
Many Thermo King customers are already operating with HVO biodiesel in their truck and trailer fleets on the road. The now increased availability of HVO across Europe, enables more of Thermo King customers to improve the sustainability of their operations, giving them another option to reduce the carbon emission of their fleets.
The use of biodegradable HVO instead of traditional diesel, leads to even 90% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and particulate matter pollution from the engine, with unchanged performance. The HVO biodiesel can be used as a drop-in replacement or mixed with regular diesel, with no requirements for unit’s engine modifications or more frequent maintenance intervals.
Also, all Thermo King large truck and trailer units with diesel engines are tested in the Galway, Ireland manufacturing plant with HVO since 2021, allowing to reduce the plant’s carbon emissions.
Thermo King actions are part of the industry-leading approach and innovation by Trane Technologies to decarbonize buildings, industry and the cold chain and advancing its 2030 Sustainability Commitments, including the Gigaton Challenge, and its pledge to be net-zero by 2050. The company was also the first in its industry to have its near and long-term emissions reductions targets externally validated by the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi).