Neste Oil's renewable diesel to be put to the test again on the Nürburgring circuit
Neste Oil Corporation
Press Release
16 May 2012 at 3.15 p.m. (EET)
Neste Oil's renewable diesel to be put to the test again on the Nürburgring circuit
The performance of Neste Oil's NExBTL renewable diesel is to be put to the test again under grueling competition conditions at the Nürburgring circuit in Germany this May. Three teams will use Diesel regenerativ, produced from 100% renewable raw materials, in their cars in the ADAC 24-Hour Race to be held at the circuit between 17 and 20 May. The fuel contains advanced NExBTL diesel, refined using Neste Oil's unique hydrogenation technology, and up to 7% conventional FAME biodiesel. Both fuels are sustainably produced from German rapeseed oil.
"Drivers expect not only lower emissions, but also high quality and good performance when they choose biofuels," says Kaisa Hietala, Neste Oil's Vice President, Market Development. "The 24-Hour Race at the Nürburgring circuit is one of the toughest in the motorsport world and is an excellent opportunity to show that our NExBTL renewable diesel can meet these expectations and even exceed them."
The ADAC 24-Hour Race held at the Nürburgring circuit in Germany is an annual endurance event open to both sports and production cars. Over 200 teams and 750 drivers are due to compete on the approx. 25-kilometer circuit in this year's event. NExBTL renewable diesel was used for the first in the event last year.
Significantly lower emissions
Diesel regenerativ has been extensively tested in regular cars as part of a year-long field trial in Coburg and Munich in Germany. This trial showed that the fuel, which is produced from 100% renewable raw materials, is ideally suited for use in cars in urban areas and helps contribute to a significant reduction in tailpipe emissions affecting local air quality. Emissions of particulates, carbon monoxide, and hydrocarbons were cut by 5-15%.
The greenhouse gas emissions generated by the fuel were also studied as part of the trial. Research carried out the Johann Heinrich von Thünen Institute showed that using the fuel can result in 50% lower emissions of greenhouse gases than fossil diesel.
Three leading teams to use low-emission biofuel in the 24-Hour Race
Three leading teams will power their cars with Diesel regenerativ in the 2012 24-Hour Race: Four Motors, Tuning Akademie, and HEICO Sportive.
The greenest of the teams will be the Four Motors team, headed up by Smudo, the frontman of the German Fantastic Four band. Neste Oil is sponsoring the team, together with the German Union for the Promotion of Protein Plants (UFOP). In addition to renewable fuel, the Four Motors team will also include a number of renewable parts in their Audi Scirocco, such as fiber-reinforced thermoset and mirrors and light housings. The lamination of the car is a latex-free PVCfoil.
"By competing with a greener car, we want to show that sustainability has a role to play in motorsport as well," says Smudo.
The Tuning Akademie team will compete in an Audi A4 3.0 TDI Quattro, featuring Audi's latest A6 engine and emission control technology. Onboard measurement equipment will generate comprehensive data on engine performance and exhaust emissions throughout the race, which will be used in future development work by Audi AG and Neste Oil.
The third team to use Diesel regenerativ will be HEICO Sportiv, which has entered a Volvo C30 for the event. This features a competition five-cylinder D5 2.4-liter unit developed by Volvo and modified by HEICO Sportiv for endurance use and capable of producing 300 hp. The team has competed in the 24-Hour Race since 1995, but this is the first time they will use biofuel in their car.
Neste Oil Corporation
Hanna Maula
Director, Corporate Communications
For further information: Kaisa Hietala, Vice President, Market Development, tel. +358 50 458 4128
More information on ADAC 24-Hour Race
More information on Four Motors
More information on NExBTL-diesel
Photos for media use attached
Neste Oil in brief
Neste Oil Corporation is a refining and marketing company concentrating on low-emission, high-quality traffic fuels. The company produces a comprehensive range of major petroleum products and is the world's leading supplier of renewable diesel. Neste Oil had net sales of EUR 15.4 billion in 2011 and employs around 5,000 people, and is listed on NASDAQ OMX Helsinki.
Neste Oil is included in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index and the Ethibel Pioneer Investment Register, and has featured in The Global 100 list of the world's most sustainable corporations for a number of years. Forest Footprint Disclosure (FFD) has ranked Neste Oil as one of the best performers in the oil & gas sector. Further information: www.nesteoil.com
