HVO feedstocks are generally used oils that contain rapeseed oil, sunflower oil, soybean oil and non-food oils such as jatropha oil and algae oil as well as waste animal fats. Waste and residue oils are now a substantial contributor to the feedstock which makes this biofuel even more sustainable.
HVO is produced in the process of hydrogenation, which is treatment with hydrogen. The HVO process uses hydrogen and not methanol as the catalyst. As a result, it is not glycerine but propane that is the by-product of hydrogenation. Another important point to note is the fact that hydrogenation removes all oxygen from the vegetable oils while esterification does not. It gives an advantage to the HVO production as it helps to avoid oxidation.