Cheers to HVO as pub celebrates one year of renewable heating

A pub in south Lincolnshire in the UK has celebrated one year of net-zero emissions by using hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO).
The Five Horseshoes Inn in Barholm village first adopted the renewable liquid fuel in summer 2021. The 300 year old pub has since become what is believed to be the first rural establishment in the country to achieve carbon neutral status.
HVO can be used in an existing oil heating system as a replacement for kerosene following a minor modification to the boiler. The Five Horseshoes Inn, however, decided to replace its 1970s traditional oil fired boiler with a new modulating model to maximise its carbon savings.
Landlady Emma Freeman commented: “It’s wonderful to be celebrating a year since we switched to HVO at The Five Horseshoes Inn and continue to play our part in tackling climate change by reducing carbon emissions.
“The transition to HVO was very straight forward and the past year has gone very smoothly. The fuel combined with our new, energy-efficient boiler works so much better than before and we often forget that we’re no longer using kerosene. For pubs like us, this hassle-free low-cost solution to going green will be a real lifesaver.”
The pub’s transition to HVO is part of a wider demonstration of nearly 150 other homes and businesses by trade associations OFTEC and UKIFDA. The project showcases the viability of the fuel as an affordable and realistic green heating solution for rural properties in support of the government’s target to achieve net-zero emissions in the UK by 2050.
Malcolm Farrow from OFTEC, which is funding the cost of the HVO used in the pub as part of the demonstration project, said: “We are delighted to hear that The Five Horseshoes Inn has had a successful first year on HVO. The transition has had a huge positive impact on the local community by providing a future-proof solution for the pub and helped enable them to reach their ambitious goal of achieving net-zero emissions.”
The rural pub’s transition to HVO was supported by St Neots based EOGB Energy products, which replaced the pub’s old 1970s boiler with a state-of-the-art modulating boiler to deliver even greater efficiency. The EOGB team also installed smart controls including thermostatic radiator valves, occupancy sensors and apps for remote access to support the establishment’s flexible heating needs.
For more information visit futurereadyfuel.info.