Supriya Foster Cluster Manager – Mineral Processing | South West College
The pressure on the mineral processing sector to decarbonise has never been greater. From increasingly stringent environmental regulations to growing customer expectations around sustainability, operators are under pressure to reduce emissions while maintaining productivity, profitability and operational resilience.
For many businesses, the challenge is particularly acute. Heavy mobile plant, haulage fleets and processing equipment remain heavily reliant on diesel, and while electrification and hydrogen technologies are often presented as the long-term solution, the reality is that these technologies are not yet widely available, economically viable, or operationally suitable for many quarrying and mineral processing applications. Against this backdrop, Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) has emerged as one of the most talked-about alternatives to conventional diesel. Marketed as a renewable, low-carbon fuel capable of delivering significant emissions reductions without requiring changes to existing equipment, HVO is gaining traction across construction, infrastructure and extractive industries.
However, an important question remains: is HVO a genuinely viable pathway to decarbonisation, or simply the latest sustainability trend?
Why HVO is attracting attention
Unlike traditional biodiesel, HVO is a second-generation renewable diesel produced from waste-derived feedstocks such as used cooking oils, animal fats and industrial residues. Through a hydrotreatment process, these materials are converted into a paraffinic fuel that meets EN15940 standards and can be used as a direct replacement for diesel in many existing engines. One of HVO’s most attractive characteristics is its ability to act as a “drop-in” fuel. Existing storage infrastructure, refuelling systems and machinery can typically continue operating without modification, allowing organisations to reduce emissions without the capital expenditure associated with replacing entire fleets or upgrading equipment.
This is particularly significant for mineral processing operations, where asset lifecycles often extend well beyond a decade and where equipment reliability remains paramount.
Operational benefits in practice
The theoretical benefits of HVO are well documented, but its growing adoption is increasingly being supported by operational experience. Breedon’s recent trial at Raisby Quarry provides a useful example. The three-month trial incorporated HVO across 16 mobile plant assets, eight processing units and three water pumps. The results demonstrated no reported reduction in machine performance while avoiding approximately 525 tonnes of CO₂e emissions compared with diesel. Based on annualised figures, the site estimated potential savings of around 2,450 tonnes of CO₂e per year.
Beyond carbon reduction, HVO also offers potential air quality benefits. Research has demonstrated reductions in nitrogen oxide (NOx), particulate matter (PM) and other harmful emissions when compared with conventional diesel, particularly in older off-road equipment that lacks modern emissions control technologies.
For quarry and mineral processing environments, where dust management, worker health and equipment performance are ongoing concerns, these reductions may provide additional operational and environmental advantages beyond carbon accounting alone.
The sustainability case
Much of HVO’s appeal stems from claims that lifecycle carbon emissions can be reduced by up to 90 per cent compared with conventional diesel. These figures are supported by a growing body of industry research and have contributed significantly to HVO’s popularity across hard-to-abate sectors. However, sustainability is not solely about emissions reduction. Increasingly, attention is turning towards the sourcing and traceability of feedstocks used in HVO production.
Industry guidance stresses the importance of ensuring fuels are sourced from reputable suppliers and supported by recognised certification schemes such as the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) system and the Renewable Fuels Assurance Scheme (RFAS). These schemes provide transparency regarding feedstock origins and associated carbon savings. The debate surrounding palm oil-derived feedstocks highlights why this matters. While some HVO products may technically meet sustainability criteria, concerns remain around indirect land-use change, biodiversity impacts and deforestation risks. Consequently, many organisations are now placing increasing emphasis on responsible sourcing and supply chain due diligence rather than focusing exclusively on carbon reduction figures.
This raises an important point: not all HVO delivers the same sustainability outcomes.
The challenge of long-term viability
While HVO offers clear advantages, several challenges prevent it from being viewed as a complete solution. Cost remains one of the most significant barriers. Depending on market conditions, HVO can command a premium of between 10 and 30 per cent compared with conventional diesel. While many organisations are willing to absorb this additional cost in pursuit of net-zero objectives, the financial implications become increasingly significant at scale. Availability also presents questions around long-term viability. As demand grows across transport, construction, logistics and industrial sectors, competition for sustainable feedstocks is likely to intensify. The supply of waste oils and fats is finite, raising concerns about whether production can expand sufficiently to support widespread adoption without compromising sustainability standards.
These challenges explain why many industry experts describe HVO not as a permanent replacement for diesel, but as a transitional fuel.
Indeed, guidance from sustainability organisations increasingly positions HVO as a bridging technology that enables immediate emissions reductions while the market continues to develop viable electrification, battery and hydrogen solutions.
A pragmatic route forward
For mineral processing operators, the debate should perhaps move beyond whether HVO represents the future of energy. The more relevant question is whether it provides a practical means of reducing emissions today. In many cases, the answer appears to be yes. HVO offers an immediate and comparatively low-risk opportunity to reduce carbon emissions, improve local air quality and support sustainability objectives without disrupting existing operations. Few alternative technologies currently offer the same combination of operational simplicity and emissions reduction potential. At the same time, organisations should avoid viewing HVO as a complete decarbonisation strategy. Cost pressures, feedstock limitations and ongoing sustainability concerns mean it is unlikely to represent the final destination for the sector.
Instead, HVO should be viewed for what it is: a valuable transition fuel. It enables meaningful emissions reductions now while buying time for the next generation of electrified and hydrogen-powered equipment to mature.
Far from being a sustainability fad, HVO may prove to be one of the most practical stepping stones on the mineral processing industry’s journey towards net zero.
