Wood-based BioVerno diesel by Finland’s UPM has been found to significantly reduce harmful tailpipe emissions, the company reports.

A number of engine and vehicle tests have been carried out across key research institutes, such as VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, University of Vaasa in Finland, and at FEV, internationally recognised vehicle engineering company based in Germany.

UPM BioVerno renewable diesel has been shown to function just like conventional diesel in all diesel engines, yet it generates up to 80% less greenhouse gas emissions during its lifecycle compared to conventional fossil diesel fuels.

The latest test results show that BioVerno also reduces harmful tailpipe emissions.

These emissions, such as particle mass, hydrocarbon (HC), carbon dioxide, nitrogenous oxide (NOx), and carbon monoxide (CO) emissions, were reduced by up to dozens of percent compared to conventional diesel fuel, depending on vehicle technology and blend.

All the tests showed similar or improved efficiency of the engine, without compromising the engine power, when BioVerno was introduced to the fuel blend.

In addition, i using 100% BioVerno diesel decreased fuel consumption.

FEV Germany carried out a series of tests on BioVerno's effects on engine functionality and emissions with both a diesel blend containing 30% and 100% BioVerno diesel.

‘The results showed that even as a 30% blending component, the accumulated HC emissions were reduced by more than 50% and the CO emissions by more than 40% compared to reference fossil diesel. Our tests also showed good results in NOx emissions and efficiency", says Dr. Ing. Thorsten Schnorbus, manager passenger car diesel at FEV.

BioVerno was also tested in University of Vaasa, Finland, using a heavy duty engine.

These experiments were performed in the Technobothnia Education and Research Centre in Vaasa.

‘The lowest CO and HC emissions were recorded when running the engine with 100% BioVerno. Neat BioVerno was also very favorable when looking at nanoparticle number emissions at idle. For all studied fuels and fuel blends, the smoke readings were very low,’ says Professor Seppo Niemi at faculty of technology, University of Vaasa.