All your cleaner-burning FAQs, answered
Here, we clear the air around some of the most commonly asked questions about GTL Fuel.
What is GTL Fuel?
GTL (Gas-to-Liquid) Fuel is a cleaner, quieter and longer lasting drop-in alternative to standard diesel, produced from natural gas. Its improved combustion properties help to reduce emissions of regulated pollutants and positively impact local air quality. It also offers several performance advantages over conventional fossil-derived diesel.
Yes, GTL Fuel is a paraffinic fuel that complies with EN15940 standards. Paraffinic fuels are liquid fuels that can be synthetically created from feedstocks, such as natural gas. Paraffinic fuels can be used as a blend component in conventional diesel or as a 100% finished fuel.
GTL Fuel is made using the Fischer-Tropsch process which manufactures hydrocarbon products from natural gas or other hydrocarbon-based feedstocks. This process breaks down gas molecules and reassembles them into larger uniform molecules in a carefully controlled manner.
GTL Fuel is used by multiple industries but is best suited to certain sectors. For example, construction companies and local authorities in urban areas benefit greatly from its noise reduction capabilities, and marine and agriculture can take advantage of local air quality improvement and minimised disruption due to it being FAME-free. GTL Fuel can also be used for power generation. Check out our case studies to discover first-hand how making the switch to GTL Fuel has benefited Certas Energy customers.
No. GTL Fuel is a drop-in alternative, which means it can be used in vehicles or equipment designed for diesel, without any changes to the engine or infrastructure. Tanks also do not need to be drained, flushed or cleaned out. This negates disruption to business operations, allowing you to sustain high levels of productivity and avoid a time-consuming or onerous fuel transition.
There are several environmental and performance advantages of GTL Fuel when compared to conventional diesel.
Benefits include:
- Reduction in local emissions including Nitrogen Oxide (NOx), Particulate Matter (PM), Carbon Monoxide (CO) and Hydrocarbons (HCs)
- Non-toxic, biodegradable and less harmful to the environment and human health
- No engine or infrastructure modifications needed
- Long shelf life - up to five years
- More stable storage
- Reduced noise pollution
- Improved cold startperformance
- Odourless
- Lower overall ‘hazard’
- Improved biodegradability
- Low cold filter plugging point (CFPP) to -20°C
- FAME-free
- Reduced maintenance costs and downtime due to few filter changes needed
Discover the benefits GTL Fuel can bring your business.
Although GTL Fuel can effectively lower local emissions, it does not reduce carbon emissions. However, for businesses where carbon reduction is the primary objective, Certas Energy does offer a solution. Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) is a low-carbon alternative diesel made from vegetable fats and oils.
Benefits include:
- A reduction of up to 90% in greenhouse gas emissions, immediately
- 100% biodegradable
- Drop in - no engine or infrastructure modifications needed
- Renewable and sustainable
- FAME- and fossil-free
- Cleaner-burning
- Low cold filter plugging point (CFPP) to -30°C
- Long shelf life - up to 10 years
GTL Fuel is currently lower in terms of price per litre than HVO, making it an attractive option for businesses looking to gradually transition away from diesel, while protecting productivity and profitability.
At present, there is no single ‘fully sustainable’ solution to overcome air quality issues and over-reliance on conventional fuels. However, readily-available alternative fuels, such as GTL Fuel, can help reduce companies’ local environmental impact, without compromising operational performance, paving the way for a low emission future.
If you are looking to make strides towards your sustainability targets, we are here to help. Cynergise™ is a bespoke consultancy service designed to help accelerate customers’ energy transition goals. Our end-to-end energy transition and efficiency experts work closely with companies to help tackle the energy trilemma. They can help to identify where impactful changes can be made to future-proof their energy solutions, become more self-sufficient and benefit from better supply chain visibility.
To learn more, get in touch with our Cynergise specialists, today.
Yes. The vast majority of OEMs now accept paraffinic fuels, such as GTL Fuel, including DAF, Scania, Caterpillar, Cummins, John Deere and MAN. If you are unsure about compatibility, contact your dealer or our team of fuel specialists for confirmation.
The price of GTL Fuel changes daily and depends on quantity, location and availability. GTL Fuel does cost slightly more than conventional diesel but as demand and supply increases, the price difference will start to decrease. Given the withdrawal of red diesel allowances for many industries, alternative fuels, such as GTL Fuel, are becoming more popular as a cleaner, compliant and convenient alternative to white diesel. They are also much cheaper to implement than other solutions, which require investment in infrastructure.
Certas Energy is a leading supplier of GTL Fuel in the UK. Our fleet of 900 tankers operate from 130 local depots, delivering GTL Fuel to businesses nationwide. The drop-in diesel alternative is also available across our extensive bunker sites.
