Orlen begins sale of 100% renewable diesel in Germany

The Orlen Group announced Oct. 2 that it has begun sales of its 100 percent hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO100), also known as renewable diesel, at two service stations in Germany.

HVO100 is available at two locations: Boizenburg on the Elbe, and Achim near Bremen.

Sales will soon be expanded to include more stations in Germany.

The Orlen Group is also preparing to begin HVO100 sales in the Czech Republic, where the necessary legal framework is already in place.

Wholesale sales in the Czech market are expected to begin early next year with preparatory work currently ongoing at the Paramo terminal in Pardubice, from where the product is to be distributed.

Expanding sales of this fuel to the retail segment is also under consideration.

In Poland, similar legislative work is currently ongoing to define the quality requirements for HVO100 and to make it subject to quality control by the authorities.

This fuel is already available in several European countries including Finland, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden and Latvia.

Meanwhile, the construction of an HVO production plant in Płock, Poland, with a capacity of 300,000 metric tons of finished biocomponent per year, is well underway.

It will be capable of processing a wide range of lipid feedstocks including rapeseed oil, used cooking oil (UCO) and their blends.

The project cost is estimated at approximately USD$155 million.

Additionally, there are plans to build infrastructure at the Płock production site to support the production of hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids (HEFA) biocomponents for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

The launch of HVO100 sales aligns with the Orlen Group’s strategic goal of expanding its range of sustainable fuels and reducing CO2 emissions.

HVO100 is a second-generation biofuel made from vegetable oils and waste products from the food and hospitality industries, including used cooking oil.

It has the potential to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by up to 90 percent compared to conventional fossil fuels.

HVO100 can be used in most diesel engine vehicles without any modifications.

The introduction of this fuel to the Polish market will be possible once the ongoing legislative work on quality requirements is completed.