What makes it innovative
Cleaner Engines was innovative in its focus on converting traditional diesel generators into hybrid units powered by alternative fuels such as Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO), liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and glycerine. This approach aimed to significantly reduce CO₂ and NOx emissions, supporting environmental sustainability goals. By evaluating multiple alternative fuel options, the project compared performance, efficiency, reliability, and emissions to determine the most viable solutions for temporary power generation.
The use of HVO as a biofuel proved especially promising. When combined with a battery pack in a hybrid setup, HVO generators delivered lower emissions and improved customer satisfaction, particularly due to their silent operation during typical use. HVO was also found to be the most straightforward fuel to adopt, requiring minimal changes from existing diesel infrastructure.
LPG hybrid generators, however, encountered operational issues that rendered them unsuitable for field deployment. In contrast, glycerine-fuelled generators showed strong environmental benefits, with emissions testing revealing substantial reductions in CO₂, NOx, and particulates compared to diesel and HVO. Despite these gains, glycerine posed practical challenges—its high viscosity and density required specialised high-pressure pumps for refuelling, and supply chains were not yet mature, complicating logistics.
Through this project, UK Power Networks gained critical insights into the viability and challenges of various alternative fuels, helping inform future strategies to decarbonise temporary power generation and support progress toward Net Zero.