This weekend’s Formula 1 British Grand Prix will see HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil) power festivities at Silverstone.
Some 300,000 litres of the fuel are being supplied to the circuit this summer for motorsport events, including the iconic F1 race. While the cars themselves won’t be using the carbon-friendly fuel, Silverstone’s generators will as they provide power to facilities including mobile kitchens, lighting, and live music stages.
August’s Silverstone Festival will also see HVO deployed to keep the circuit’s lights on, while the fuel powered generators during last month’s Moto GP.
The HVO is being supplied by Certas Energy, which is providing the track with an additional 100,000 litres of the fuel compared to 2024. The agreement between Certas and Silverstone forms part of the latter’s ‘Shift to Zero’ initiative, which aims to make the track carbon neutral by 2030.
Certas’ HVO is sourced from renewable sources such as waste vegetable fats and oils, which are treated with hydrogen to remove oxygen, a process that splits oil molecules into smaller chains that combust more cleanly than the molecules of traditional diesel.
The real CO2 savings come from the supply chain, however, with the plants that are used to make HVO absorbing carbon dioxide as they grow. As a ‘drop-in’ replacement for traditional diesel, no modifications are required for engines using HVO, which can be mixed in any ratio with diesel that may remain in machines’ tanks or fuel systems.
Stephane Bazire, Silverstone’s head of ESG (environmental, social and governance), said the expansion of the circuit’s use of HVO follows last year’s successful trial, adding that “Certas Energy has and continues to be a trusted and valued partner” as the track seeks to lower its carbon footprint.
Certas’ Darren Holloway, the firm’s commercial director for energy solutions, said his company is “a proud partner of Silverstone’s exciting summer of racing events”, and that HVO is “a recognised and viable option for companies looking to reduce their carbon footprint”.
