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

  • Nearing 100% recycled asphalt
    February 4, 2025
    Aggregate Industries is developing new solutions for road construction containing higher percentages of recycled materials.
    Read More
  • Powerscreen’s global launch of Warrior 1400XE electric drive screen
    April 14, 2016
    The electrically driven Warrior 1400XE mobile heavy duty screen is Powerscreen’s big global model launch this week. Oliver Donnelly, the Northern Ireland-headquartered crushing and screening giant’s product manager, said the model captured both the company’s response to customer feedback and its emphasis on a more environmentally aware approach to innovation. “For more environmentally sensitive areas, like parts of Scandinavia, customers do not want hydraulic oil floating around their working machine,
    Read More
  • Efficient road maintenance with Simex
    October 1, 2022

    Simex at Bauma Munich from 24 to 30 October, Hall C5, Booth 325.

    Bauma Munich – the most anticipated trade fair event in terms of strategic importance, turnout, new product launches and media impact for the earthmoving sector – has always been an opportunity for Simex to show to its partners and users its technical quality. The ability to innovate and do research, combining the new models in the range with new technological concepts, it’s the Simex way to outline the paths to be followed in the future.

    Read More
  • The DURABROADS project targets safer mobility
    April 2, 2014
    The innovative DURABROADS project will help deliver a sustained reduction of fatalities in the long term, writes the ERF’s José Diez In 2012, Europe recorded the lowest number of fatalities since the first data were collected. All in all, fatalities were down by 9% in 2012, which means that 3,000 lives were saved that year. Should the current pace continue, we can be confident that the ambitious objective of reducing fatalities by 50% by 2020, compared to 2010, will be reached. To achieve the goals of
    Read More

Highlighted Content