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UPM BioVerno achieves test success

​UPM BioVerno is a fuel that reduces both CO2 emissions and tailpipe emissions, such as nitrogen oxides and fine particles, that harm the local environment. The low tailpipe emissions make UPM BioVerno diesel an even more sustainable choice.

The fuel has been tested in engine and vehicle tests on numerous vehicle makes and models in several acclaimed Finnish and international research facilities.

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Cleaner city traffic with UPM BioVerno

UPM BioVerno reduces local emissions and targeted use of the fuel improves the air quality in cities. UPM BioVerno diesel cuts fine particle emissions by up to a third and reduces carbon monoxide, hydrocarbon and nitrogen oxide levels which impact air quality.

This renewable diesel offers the greatest reduction in emissions in older vehicles, as they are not equipped with modern particle filters or catalysers.

Read more about how UPM BioVerno functions in daily use »

Cleaner city traffic with UPM BioVerno
Cleaner city traffic with UPM BioVerno

The VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland conducted road tests to study the impact of UPM BioVerno on the operations affecting the vehicles’ engine functionality and fuel consumption. Test drivers collected data for analysis using four new Volkswagen Golf 1.6.TDIs. The total number of kilometres driven was 80,000. The drivers drove short distances in the city and longer distances outside the city in both summer and winter weather.

The fleet tests performed using passenger cars showed that UPM BioVerno works just like regular diesel. There was no noticeable difference in fuel consumption.

Read more about the road tests »

​UPM BioVerno also reduces road traffic emissions when used as a blend

​The vehicle technology research facility FEV Germany carried out a series of tests on UPM BioVerno’s effect on engine functionality and emissions, both with a diesel blend containing 30% UPM BioVerno and with 100% UPM BioVerno diesel. In addition to measuring engine power and fuel consumption, the tests focused on tailpipe emissions and the performance of UPM BioVerno compared with conventional diesel.

The high quality and higher cetane number of UPM BioVerno diesel provide cleaner combustion in the engine, resulting in significantly lower tailpipe emissions when used as a blend as well.

Emission reduction provided by UPM BioVerno diesel compared with fossil fuels

Emission reduction provided by UPM BioVerno diesel compared with fossil fuels

​UPM BioVerno also reduces road traffic emissions when used as a blend

“The tests showed that even as a 30% blend, UPM BioVerno's accumulated hydrocarbon (HC) emissions were reduced by more than 50%. In addition, the carbon monoxide (CO) emissions were also reduced by more than 40% compared to reference fossil diesel. Our tests also provided good results in NOx emissions and efficiency.”

Thorsten Schnorbus, Passenger Car Diesel Manager, FEV Germany

FEV Group is an internationally recognised development services provider for drive and vehicle technologies, and its headquarters are located in Aachen, Germany.

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​UPM BioVerno bus tests

​UPM BioVerno bus tests

​UPM BioVerno bus tests

UPM BioVerno has been tested in Euro III class bus engines at VTT and in field tests carried out on Volvo Euro VI class buses in collaboration with the Helsinki Regional Transport Authority (HSL) and VTT. St1, Volvo and the transport company Transdev Finland are also participating in the field test process.

In the tests carried out at VTT, the tailpipe emissions of UPM BioVerno were compared with emissions from paraffinic fuels on the market and from regular fossil diesel.

Laboratory tests were carried out on Euro III class buses, which are still commonly used. Compared to regular diesel, UPM BioVerno diesel clearly reduced the amount of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM), which are the worst pollutants in exhaust gases. The reductions in NOx and PM emissions (g/km) achieved using UPM BioVerno were at the same level as the reductions achieved using other paraffinic fuels.

Road tests with buses were conducted by Transdev Finland on a regular bus route between the city of Kerava and Helsinki, using four identical Volvo Euro VI Class buses that have low emissions levels and efficient engines. Road tests were performed on 20%, 50% and 100% UPM BioVerno diesel. According to the test results, UPM BioVerno diesel works very well in all blending ratios—just like the best diesel fuels—and fuel consumption is the same as that of fossil diesel. Altogether, the four buses travelled 400,000 km without any fuel-related incidents. 

Read more about the UPM BioVerno bus tests »
Read about the bus test results using the low-emission UPM BioVerno »

Advanced fuels impact emissions — bus test results

Advanced fuels impact emissions

Nils-Olof Nylund

"Paraffinic renewable diesels, such as UPM BioVerno, are of better quality than regular diesel and thus significantly reduce road traffic emissions."

Nils-Olof-Nylund, Research Professor, VTT

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​UPM BioVerno in off-road engines

Nelli Vanhala, Olav Nilsson

Master's degree student Nelli Vanhala (on the left) and Laboratory Engineer Olav Nilsson are studying UPM BioVerno diesel at the University of Vaasa Faculty of Technology.

​UPM BioVerno has also been tested in heavy-duty engines at the University of Vaasa, Finland.

The engine tests with modern Finnish off-road engines showed that the more UPM BioVerno there was in the fuel blend, the lower the carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon emissions from the engine. For all studied fuels and fuel blends, the smoke emissions were very low.

“The lowest CO and HC emissions were recorded when running the engines with 100% BioVerno. Pure UPM BioVerno was also very favourable when looking at the number of nanoparticle emissions at idle.”

Seppo Niemi, Professor of Energy Technology at the University of Vaasa Faculty of Technology

Seppo Niemi
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​UPM BioVerno is a stable fuel that functions well in passenger car fuel systems

​The chemical structure of wood-based UPM BioVerno diesel is similar to the chemical structure of regular diesel as it is a pure hydrocarbon. Its performance in passenger car engines is similar to the best commercial diesels, and it has good storage stability properties.

VTT carried out long-term tests to study the stability of UPM BioVerno and to evaluate the effects of the fuel on passenger car engines and fuel systems. Various plastic, rubber and metal parts typically found in the fuel systems of diesel-powered passenger cars were exposed to UPM BioVerno for 12 months. The comparison also included other fuels.

UPM BioVerno is a stable fuel that functions well in passenger car fuel systems
VTT laboratory

​The stability of UPM BioVerno was good at room temperature and the colour of the fuel remained bright, without the use of preservatives. The screening tests did not reveal any bacteria, moulds or yeasts in the fuel.

No significant changes were identified in the materials of the engines or fuel systems. Additionally, UPM BioVerno did not cause any corrosion of metal parts. Corrosion could not be detected even when the metal parts exposed to the fuel were examined using a scanning electron microscope.