New DIN fuel standard makes it possible to use 20 or 30 per cent biodiesel in vehicle fleets

Berlin, 9th of December 2015 – At the beginning of December 2015, the German Institute for Standardisation, DIN, published the standard for using biodiesel as an admixture component in percentages of up to 20 (B20) or 30 per cent by volume (B30). The Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants (UFOP) very much welcomes the announcement because a key requirement for the admixture of higher biodiesel percentages in diesel fuel is thereby created. According to the current diesel fuel standard DIN EN 590, an admixture of a maximum of 7 per cent by volume is permitted.

The UFOP indicates the restrictions or requirements listed in the standard. B20 and B30 may only be used in so-called closed vehicle fleets according to the European standard. Their application is therefore especially geared towards fleets in HGV traffic. Not only the approvals of the vehicle manufacturers still to be obtained have to be accounted for here. With respect to the use of summer and winter quality, a corresponding storage must also be ensured.

From the point of view of UFOP, the use of B20 or B30 is an important fuel option for decarbonising the HGV traffic in view of the extremely ambitious target as part of the climate change action plan 2050 of the federal government. The introduction to using B20 and B30 is imperative in relation to this target if further, not yet identifiable economic fuel alternatives, made from recyclable materials or fuels of a non-biogenic origin (power-to-gas or power-to-liquid), are to be introduced in the long-term as a result of a competition open to technology and raw material.

In HGV traffic, the expert maintenance of the vehicle fleets to be observed is ensured according to the standard. Experiences with the use of B100 confirm this.

The standard can be purchased in the Beuth Verlag publishing
house: www.mybeuth.de.