In early 2023, AWS initiated the transition toHVO, the hydrotreated vegetable oil, to power its backup generators in its data centers in Europe. The first to make this change were sites in Ireland and Sweden.
AWS, green breakthrough with hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO)
L’HVO is a renewable fuel, which decomposes easily and does no harm to the environment. Is produced from waste of edible oils, vegetable oils and plants. Compared with ordinary diesel, it can lower the emissions of gases which cause global warming up to 90% throughout its life cycle.
Additionally, HVO and other renewable diesel types are better suited to industrial machinery than biodiesel, because noot need changes to fuel systems and they can work well even in cold weather. This flexibility allows AWS to use HVO in its backup generators without making changes and to adopt this fuel in different regions, even in colder climates.
Going forward, AWS wants to use HVO in all of its data centers in Europe. But, in order to make this step, a reliable, constant and sustainable supply must be ensured. For this reason the company is helping to create a global supply chain, working with local organizations such as Certa in Ireland. And is investing in the purchase of HVO coming only from renewable sources, with controlled raw materials and not from sources that damage areas with a lot of biodiversity.
Greener future
Andrew Graham, Managing Director of Certa Ireland, said: “We are thrilled to be working with AWS to contribute to the transition to renewable energy through the supply of our HVO. Certa’s mission is to provide customers with state-of-the-art energy solutions, and as a direct replacement for conventional diesel, our HVO Bio Fuel instantly reduces carbon emissions by up to 90%, without the need to install a generator. . We look forward to contributing to the energy transition alongside AWS.”
Neil Morris, Director of Infrastructure Operations, Northern Europe, AWS said: “At AWS we are committed to and invest in sustainability because it benefits everyone – it is good for the planet, for business, for our customers and for the community. Transitioning to HVO is just one of many strategies we are implementing to improve the sustainability of our data centers, decarbonising our operations to zero emissions by 2040 – ten years ahead of the Paris Agreement. By making a commitment to using sustainably sourced HVO in our data centres, we hope to lead the way for other companies and help build a global supply chain that accelerates change across Europe, by working in partnership with other organisations.”
This choice is part of Amazon’s goals towards zero carbon emissions by 2040, as indicated by the Climate Pledge.