Supermarket retailer, Morrisons has revealed details of their 110 forecourts now retailing B30 biodiesel fuel.
According to What Diesel magazine, the supermarket chain has begun retailing B30 fuel- which comprises of 70 per cent standard diesel and 30 per cent rapeseed and recycled vegetable oil.
A new orange pump can be seen at Morrisons’ forecourts across the country and while the roll out of the B30 fuel began last year, it is set to continue through to the summer of this year.
The new fuel complies with European biodiesel standard EN14214 while the vegetable oils used are UK sourced- further reducing the carbon footprint of the new fuel.
The new fuel is said to have the same viscosity of normal diesel and is suitable for many diesel cars. Although the process of approving them with many vehicle manufacturers is still on going, meaning that for many using the fuel could invalidate their warranty. However all Peugeot and Citroen HDi engines dating from 1998 are already approved to use the fuel but PSA Peugeot -Citroen insist that an oil change is necessary to run on the fuel because a specific type of oil is compatible with it while service intervals must also be shorterned. Other manufacturers are in the process of running their own tests on the fuel.
B30 has also overcome some of the problems experienced with early biodiesel experiments and will not ‘wax’ in cold weather preventing filter blockages, while an oxidation stabiliser has been added to prevent the fuel degrading. A shelf life of at least six months is predicted.
As the fuel retails for the same price as regular diesel, it may take a while to get motor manufacturers and drivers on board. While the duty is lower on the biofuel element, the saving is cancelled out by the higher production costs. However the temporary dip in petrol and diesel prices will not last forever and as the price rises again, B30 could become the cheaper option.
Morrisons were also the first to retail Bioethanol E85 in early 2006, a fuel consisting of 85 per cent bioethanol and 15 per cent petrol. The E85 fuel is compatible with the Saab 9-5 Biopower Flex-fuel car. Phil Maud, Petrol Director at Morrisons, said that Morrisons was proud to be the country’s first petrol retailer to open BioEthanol E85 refuelling pumps, stating that it reinforced Morrisons’ position as the ‘UK’s largest forecourt retailer of alternative fuels’.
To find out details of Morrisons forecourts retailing alternative fuels, visit:www.morrisons.co.uk/Store-Finder/Store-services/Petrol-stations/