Madrid, Spain-based energy company Repsol, the Bilbao city bus line Bilbobus, and Spain’s largest motorcoach carrier line Alsa, the operator of Bilbobus, have launched the first pilot project in Spain to use hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), also known as renewable diesel. Over the next four months, 12 buses in Bilbobus’ fleet will run on net-zero HVO.

The four-month pilot project will save approximately 300 tons of CO2 emissions “to demonstrate that advanced residue-based biofuels offer part of the solution to reaching the sustainability objectives in road mobility by helping to diversify Spain’s energy matrix,” Repsol stated. More than 26,000 gallons of HVO, supplied by the Repsol Technology Lab, will be used in the project.

Energy producer Repsol has committed to becoming a net-zero emissions company by 2050 and seeks to strengthen its role as a major player in the energy transition. The project also reflects Alsa’s commitment to leading the ecological transition toward zero-emissions fleets in Spain, according to Repsol.

Repsol says it has been incorporating biofuels into its automotive fuels for more than two decades. “The content of biofuels has been increasing in the last few years,” Repsol stated. “Biofuels made up 9.5 percent of energy in 2021, in line with Spanish regulatory requirements that follow through on the country’s commitments agreed to with the EU.”