Renewable diesel basics: What is it and how is it made?

If you’ve travelled from one place to another in the last century, there’s a chance we have helped you do it. On road or rail, by sea or air, we’ve been producing the fuels, and developing technology to help keep people and goods moving with greater efficiency.

In recent years, we have increased our focus not just on keeping things moving but also on reducing lifecycle GHG emissions.

Reducing transport emissions plays a crucial role in cutting global GHG emissions. Nearly a quarter of global GHG emissions come from transportation, and around 74% of those come from the road transport sector.

So, what’s a solution?

Meet renewable diesel: an alternative fuel that can reduce transport sector lifecycle GHG emissions*.

‘Lifecycle’ emissions accounts for all emissions associated with the fuel type in question. This includes its:

• extraction or sourcing of raw materials,
• production,
• distribution, and
• use.

For renewable diesel and other biofuels, this also includes the lifecycle GHG emissions from cultivating and harvesting the feedstocks.

What is renewable diesel?

Renewable diesel is a fuel that is chemically similar to conventional diesel but made from bio-based feedstocks. It can be used in undiluted form (R100) or blended, like Esso Renewable Diesel R20, which is a blend of 20% volume of renewable diesel with conventional diesel.

These blends can be used in existing diesel engines without any modifications**, fueling trucks, buses and other heavy-duty vehicles. 

Renewable diesel typically has lower lifecycle GHG emissions than conventional diesel, which can help commercial fleets reduce emissions. Compared to conventional diesel, R20’s lifecycle GHG emissions are estimated to be 15.4%* lower.

How is it made?

Renewable diesel is commonly made by hydro-processing bio-feeds such as grains, plants and vegetable waste. It can also be made using waste oils such as used cooking oil and waste greases, which diverts them away from landfills.

A solution in motion

We are leading the way with renewable diesel R20 available in Singapore and Hong Kong and are the first fuel provider to introduce it for public road use in these markets.

In Singapore, we are offering renewable diesel R20 at select Esso service stations and to commercial customers.

Renewable diesel R20 is also already available in Hong Kong at Esso Tsing Yi South service station and for bulk delivery to commercial customers.

_{* The estimated reduction in life cycle greenhouse gas emissions, also referred to as Carbon Intensity (CI), is based on a comparison of Esso Renewable Diesel R20 to conventional diesel using the United States GREET 2023 model (https://greet.anl.gov/index.php) estimates to compare the life cycle emissions of each fuel. Actual results may vary.}