Clean fuel option with Komatsu

Komatsu says that the company has made a decision to switch to hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) as factory-fill fuel for Komatsu equipment produced in Europe.
August 1, 2023 Read time: 2 mins
Komatsu machines can now run on HVO fuels

This is in line with Komatsu’s long-term goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. Komatsu is commencing this switch at its Komatsu Germany, Construction Division (KGC) plant in Hannover, Germany, and at the Komatsu UK plant in Birtley, England, with other Komatsu Europe plants to follow.

The combustion engines in Komatsu machines can be operated with HVO with no modifications required. The switch to this renewable, paraffinic fuel as a sustainable alternative to traditional diesel fuel is a major step that Komatsu is taking towards reducing its environmental impact. It shows that the company's machines can run on a cleaner and more sustainable fuel, helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and improving air quality.

HVO is produced from renewable raw material such as cooking oil and animal fats wastes. It is a simple drop-in replacement for fossil diesel, but with high cetane, no oxygen and no aromatics. It can lower the amount of greenhouse gas emitted by Komatsu equipment by up to 90%, if the machine is fuelled with Neste MY Renewable Diesel (= HVO 100) from Neste, one of Komatsu’s main suppliers of HVO.

"HVO not only grants lower emissions during operation by superior chemical composition. said Ingo Büscher, managing director of KGC. “Komatsu’s HVO first fill product (Neste MY Renewable Diesel) is mainly made of waste material limiting consumption renewable resources such as vegetable oils." He added: "We are committed to support our customers in achieving their long-term sustainability goals as a one team approach. We believe that HVO is an effective and economical option to both reduce emissions and save limited resources.”

Komatsu’s switch to HVO factory-fill fuel is just one of the many steps that the company is taking towards sustainability, along with the research and development of new technologies and solutions such as electric and hydrogen-powered machines, to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels and achieve its zero-emission goal. 

For more information on companies in this article

Komatsu

Related Content

  • UK road service contract awarded to Atkins
    October 31, 2022
    A key UK road service contract has been awarded to Atkins.
    Read More
  • Better road surfaces to last longer
    August 23, 2013
    Preservation can make roads perform better and last longer - and save money in the long run. Kristina Smith reports BAM Wegen has laid the first ever half-warm porous asphalt section on a major highway in the Netherlands. The asphalt for the 500m-long test section on the A18 near Varsseveld was produced at 105°C rather than 160°C, representing a saving on energy and CO2 emissions of around 30%.
    Read More
  • Volvo CE sees sluggish growth for Q1
    April 25, 2022
    Volvo CE is experiencing sluggish growth for Q1, 2022.
    Read More
  • Bitumen technology suppliers seek new ways to save money and work more efficiently
    April 24, 2013
    When World Highways decided to ask some of the industry’s leading suppliers what the future holds for bitumen, we found out - not surprisingly in the current economic climate - that it’s all about saving money. Kristina Smith reports. How quickly the tide turns. Just two years ago, saving carbon and the planet was moving up many countries’ political agendas. Now politicians in Europe and beyond have been forced to park commitments in the face of economic austerity. “The big issue with local government is th
    Read More

Highlighted Content