Italian state-owned rail freight group FS Logistix will increase its use of hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO). After already testing it in shunting operations, the alternative fuel will be tested on two Mercitalia Rail locomotives and a few trucks in the group’s fleet.
The two locomotives will be a traction and a shunting one, with an expected consumption of 15,000 litres. Up until now, tests with HVO have been led by Mercitalia Shunting & Terminals in two facilities near the port of La Spezia and one in Padua. FS did not specify which route the HVO-powered traction unit would be tested on.
For the road vehicles, the company said it will gradually start fuelling 21 Euro 6 trucks. “In 2025, approximately 19,000 liters of HVO were consumed, saving up to approximately 40 tons of CO₂ compared to diesel, equivalent to the annual emissions of approximately 15-20 cars”, it added.
HVO in Italy
FS Logistix is not only interested in using HVO, but also in transporting it. At the end of 2024 the group signed a multi-year deal with Eni, the Italian oil giant for the transport of HVO, LPG, Ethyl tertiary-butyl ether and butene.
In addition to the state-owned company, DB Cargo Italia has also embraced this alternative fuel. In mid-2024, the Italian branch of the German state-owned holding started using HVO for all its diesel locomotives.
Pros and cons of HVO
HVO is mostly made from waste oils and fats, and using it as an alternative fuel has both advantages and disadvantages. The positives are that it is immediately available and does not require any changes to the diesel tanks, making it cost and implementation-friendly while also significantly reducing CO2 emissions.
On the other hand, its availability is very limited and strongly tied to how much vegetable and animal fat is consumed by humans. Another risk is that a higher demand might lead HVO producers to use ‘virgin’ crop oils, rather than exhaust ones. This might have a negative impact on land use and deforestation, effectively offsetting its environmental benefits.