As of TODAY, all 68 Arriva trains in the Dutch provinces of Groningen and Friesland will run on plant-based Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO). 🌱
The new fuel, also called biodiesel, is a residual product that can be gained from frying fat, for example.
Everything works the same
Prior to the switch to vegetable oil, Arriva’s trains had been running on regular Diesel (when they weren’t on strike, that is 😉). But in comparison to the latter, HVO causes 90% fewer CO2 emissions. 📉
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As the NOS reports, Arriva had been testing the fuel for the past two years, on two of its trains. The results? “Everything works the same with HVO as it does with Diesel,” a spokesperson told ANP news.
Luckily, no new trains were needed for the switch. 🚄
More green plans in the making
While this certainly is a step towards sustainable travel, the switch to vegetable oil is not enough for Arriva; they’ve got bigger plans.
At the end of 2022, the train carrier and the province of Groningen signed a contract for four hydrogen trains. These must be up and running on the route by 2027.
Besides this, a number of trials of battery trains are also ongoing in the region.
What do you think about Arriva’s fuel switch? Let us know in the comments!
