October 15, 2013
BY Ron Kotrba
Finland-based Neste Oil Corp. announced in October that its Neste Pro Diesel, a diesel blend containing at least 15 percent NExBTL renewable diesel, is the first anywhere to comply with the Worldwide Fuel Charter 5 (WWFC 5) specification established by automotive manufacturers in Europe, the U.S. and Asia.
WWFC 5 is the fifth edition of the specification to date and has been produced to reflect the latest developments in diesel vehicle and engine technology. According to the WWFC Committee, “The charter was first established in 1998 to increase understanding of the fuel quality needs of motor vehicle and engine technologies and to promote fuel quality harmonization worldwide in accordance with those needs.”
While the revised WWFC 4 spec allows up to 5 percent conventional fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) biodiesel, Neste stated that the WWFC 5 specification excludes FAME biodiesel, favoring hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) and biomass-to-liquid (BTL) diesel blend stocks instead. However, the WWFC Committee stated, “In view of the high level of interest in [FAME], including among vehicle and engine manufacturers, biodiesel specifications and test methods will continue to be investigated.”
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Neste stated that its Neste Pro Diesel is available at all Neste Oil's service stations across Finland.
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