Ferrovial is experimenting with the use of biofuel to generate electricity at a construction site in Spain.
The company has launched a pilot at a site in Los Berrocales, Madrid, to test the renewable fuel in ancillary equipment.
It’s part of a bid to reduce carbon emissions and “drive the circular economy”, the company has said.
Hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), a biofuel produced from used plant-based cooking oil, is being used as a substitute for conventional diesel.
Ferrovial said: “These biofuels, which can take the place of fossil fuels, are produced from renewable raw materials and produce zero net emissions.”
That’s because the carbon released in their combustion is no more than was previously removed from the atmosphere by the plant from which the oil is derived.
It’s claimed such re-use of organic waste avoids it being dumped in landfill. Furthermore, it is claimed that HVO is an “effective solution” for reducing net emissions in situations where it is not feasible to electrify processes in the short to medium term.
Energy business Repsol is supply Ferrovial with the HVO needed for its pilot. The biofuel will be used to produce electricity with a generator during the first six months of the initiative.
A further advantage of the biofuel, it is said, is that it can be used in various types of machinery, both mobile and stationary.
Ferrovial has committed itself to a 35.3% reduction of carbon emissions from its direct activities by 2030. This trial reflects efforts to achieve that goal, it said.
Main image: The site where the biofuel is being trialled to generate electricity, courtesy of Ferrovial
Read next: Leeds reveals latest ambitions for flagship district heating
Are you a building professional? Sign up for a FREE MEMBERSHIP to upload news stories, post job vacancies, and connect with colleagues on our secure social feed.
