Verne swaps diesel for HVO at London data centre to cut CO2

Verne is transitioning its London data centre's back-up power generators from diesel fuel to Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO), aiming to reduce net carbon dioxide emissions by up to 90%.

The company outlined that sustainability has long been a core part of its operations across all locations, but acknowledged that its Nordic data centres—benefiting from local environmental advantages - do not fully address the sustainability challenges posed by urban environments such as London.

The transition in London is being carried out in partnership with Crown Oil. Verne described this initiative as the most significant single step it can take locally to reduce its carbon footprint.

The location of the London data centre campus in the city's centre offers strong connectivity but limits the scope for onsite renewable energy production. The dense urban setting restricts options such as solar generation, leaving few alternatives beyond utilising the electricity grid's available renewables.

Verne's adoption of HVO at the site will facilitate a considerable reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The company currently holds a GHG permit as a registered small emitter. However, by making the switch, Verne expects its annual emissions to fall below the threshold requiring authorisation, enabling the company to surrender its permit.

Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil is described by Verne as an advanced fuel made entirely from renewable resources and is one of the cleanest options commercially available. It can replace conventional diesel in existing generators without requiring modifications to the installed infrastructure.

The press release stated, "Key benefits of HVO include: Extended Shelf Life - Traditional diesel requires regular cleaning due to its six-month shelf life. In contrast, HVO can remain stable for up to 10 years without the need for constant treatment, simplifying storage and maintenance. Robust Performance - HVO performs reliably in both high and low temperatures, ensuring operational integrity year-round."

Verne's broader sustainability effort is demonstrated by regular reviews and operational adjustments across all its campuses, with the aim of maximising sustainability. Last year, the company introduced a similar measure by switching to Neste renewable diesel at its Finnish data centre in order to eliminate fossil fuels from operations in that region.

The company compared these efforts to household upgrades. "Drawing comparisons to simple household changes - like switching to LED light bulbs - Verne recognises that even small adjustments across its data centres can lead to meaningful sustainability gains. The company continues to explore every opportunity to reduce environmental impact across its infrastructure."

Verne described sustainability as an ongoing commitment and a guiding value underpinning both its operational activities and its approach to supporting customer workloads: "Sustainability remains a core value at Verne, and is one of the guiding principles that influences not only how the organisation operates but how it enables customers to maximise their high-performance compute. By continuously improving sustainability measures, Verne enhances operational efficiency while making it easier for customers to run their workloads without environmental compromise."