B10 diesel vs HVO100 in Ireland: differences and prices

For Irish diesel drivers, the pump is no longer a single choice. Alongside standard B7 diesel, EU rules now provide for B10, a blend with more biodiesel, while HVO100, a renewable diesel made without crude oil, has been available at Irish forecourts since 2023. Neither fuel suits every engine, and HVO still usually costs more than diesel. Here is what to check before you fill up: composition, compatibility, where to find HVO in Ireland and how prices compare.

How to recognise them at the pump

Since 12 October 2018, a harmonised European fuel label has appeared on pumps, nozzles and new vehicles across the EU. Diesel fuels carry a square label: B7 for diesel with up to 7% biodiesel, B10 for up to 10%, and XTL for paraffinic diesels such as HVO. The same symbol appears near the filler cap or in the owner's manual of compatible cars, so drivers can match their vehicle to the right nozzle.

B10 diesel: up to 10% biodiesel

B10 is conventional diesel blended with up to 10% fatty acid methyl esters (FAME), the traditional biodiesel made from vegetable oils or used cooking oil. Its quality is defined by the European standard EN 16734. EU Directive 2023/2413 introduced B10 across the Union and requires member states to keep B7 available as a protection grade, so drivers whose vehicles are not approved for B10 can always refuel.

B10 should only be used if the manufacturer has approved it. Look for the B10 label on the fuel flap or in the handbook. Without that marking, B7 remains the safe choice.

HVO100: diesel without crude oil

HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil) is produced from waste plant matter, used cooking oils and animal fats through a hydrotreatment process. HVO100 contains no fossil diesel at all. As a paraffinic fuel, it meets the EN 15940 standard and can be used as a drop-in alternative to fossil diesel, with no change to fuelling infrastructure.

Emissions

Irish suppliers say HVO can cut net CO₂ emissions by up to 90%. Circle K puts figures on it for its milesBIO HVO100: well-to-wheel emissions fall from 3.41 kg to 0.35 kg CO₂e per litre, with up to 50% less unburnt hydrocarbons and up to 30% less carbon monoxide than conventional diesel.

Where to find HVO in Ireland

In October 2023, Certa, part of DCC plc, opened Ireland's first fully-fledged HVO station in Liffey Valley, Dublin: a forecourt costing over €1 million, offering HVO at every pump alongside diesel and petrol. Certa then began upgrading its network of 41 unmanned pay@pump forecourts to offer HVO, starting in the Dublin region, and became the first supplier in Ireland to display HVO prices on its forecourt totems.

Circle K sells milesBIO HVO100 to cars and vans at several forecourts, including Circle K City Avenue, City North, Cashel and Junction 14 Fermoy, as well as in truck areas.

Compatibility: check for the XTL label

HVO is marketed as usable without engine modification, but the reliable check for a car driver is the XTL label near the filler cap or confirmation in the owner's manual that the manufacturer approves paraffinic diesel.

Price: HVO still carries a premium

Certa states that, per litre, HVO generally carries a premium over regular diesel. At the launch of its Liffey Valley forecourt, however, it matched the HVO price with diesel and set price parity as its long-term goal. Prices vary from one forecourt to another, so comparing them before filling up remains the best approach.

Fossil diesel prices have also been shaped by policy in 2026. In March, the Irish government introduced a €250 million package that cut petrol and diesel prices by 15 and 20 cents per litre respectively. Crude oil trends, which drive fossil diesel prices, can be followed on our Brent crude price page.

B10 vs HVO100 at a glance

Sources

• Fleet Transport – Certa opens Ireland's first HVO station
• Certa – HVO renewable diesel
• Circle K – milesBIO HVO100
• 2026 Irish fuel protests (government fuel package)