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Renewable biodiesel with a high content of n-C17 alkanes was prepared through the catalytic hydrodeoxygenation of oleic acid under optimum conditions of temperature, reaction time and weight percentage of Ni deposited in γ-Al2O3. The hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) was blended with petrodiesel (20 % and 40 % of HVO) to evaluate its behaviour in a diesel engine. Comparative studies of power and emission of atmospheric pollutants such as NOx, CO, HC and smoke were evaluated under prepared blends and petrodiesel. The presence of HVO biodiesel at full load generated a slight decrease in power compared to petrodiesel; however, the decrease in emission of pollutants when using the blends containing HVO was significant. In the case of 40 % HVO were able to reduce more of 20 % of CO and HC emissions, and more than 40 % reduction in smoke when compared with petrodiesel. The NOx emissions of the blends with HVO had a significant slightly decrease. Further, the properties of Ni/γ-Al2O3 catalysts are justified by the results of EDS characterization, surface area (SBET), XRD, XPS, HR-TEM and it's capacity to produce biodiesel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]