February 28, 2007


Tokyo, Japan - Testing is under way in Japan on bio hydrofined diesel (BHD), a renewable diesel fuel produced by hydrogenating a vegetable oil feedstock. The project is a joint venture of Toyota Motor Corporation, Hino Motors, Nippon Oil Corporation and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. Nippon Oil and Toyota have worked jointly on BHD development since 2005.

The fuel is aromatics- and sulphur-free, and has a higher calorific value than conventional petroleum diesel or biodiesel. While both hydrogenated palm oil and palm oil biodiesel are lower in energy efficiency than petroleum diesel, the hydrogenated palm oil is slightly more energy efficient than biodiesel.

The project will use two or three buses to verify the tests later this year, running on a blend of 10 per cent BHD.