Europe gives green light to renewable diesel

New European fuel standard will support the sales of renewable diesel across the continent.

The European Committee for Standardization has approved the EN 15940 standard for paraffinic diesel, specifying the quality and properties of advanced diesel which is either synthetic or produced from renewable raw materials through hydrotreatment.

Prepared by fuel producers, vehicle manufacturers and other stakeholders in cooperation, the standard on paraffinic diesel makes these products easier to sell, as it specifies the quality of paraffinic diesel sold as such. Until now, paraffinic diesel has mainly been sold to end users in Europe as a component in fuel blends.

The EN 15940 standard guarantees the fuel quality, which makes it easier for vehicle manufacturers to authorize the use of 100% paraffinic fuel, offer it warranty and exhaust gas approval.

"The new standard makes it possible to sell Neste Renewable Diesel to end users as such all over Europe by the end of 2016. Using 100% Neste Renewable Diesel instead of fuel blends with low concentrations of paraffinic fuel provides companies and cities, for example, a much more efficient way to reduce their carbon footprint and lower their polluting local emissions,” says Kaisa Hietala, EVP, Renewable Products at Neste.

Diesel fuels that comply with the standard can be used in existing engines either as such or as before, as blend components in conventional diesel. The standard will come into effect in Europe during the second half of 2016.