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

  • INTERMAT launch for Komatsu wheeled loaders
    April 19, 2012
    Komatsu used INTERMAT to take the wraps off two new Dash 7 wheeled loaders, badged WA380-7 and WA500-7. With engine emissions being the main driver, the smaller 18-tonne WA380-7 packs 142kW from its EU Stage IIIb engine to deliver improved efficiency and lower fuel consumption. The machine also gets torque converter lock-up with the function operating in 2nd, 3rd and 4th gears, and gives the loader a 40 km/h forward speed.
    Read More
  • Responsive roadsign developed by student
    August 22, 2013
    A UK student hopes his new lenticular road signs which ‘pulse’ at drivers will lead to a revolution in the way motorists are given information on the roads. Meanwhile, a leading road marking firm is helping keep tourists safe in a spiritually significant town in Umbria, Italy. Guy Woodford reports You may think Charles Gale’s vision of creating the first ‘pulsing’ lenticular road sign was the result of months, even years, spent studying traffic and driver behaviour on the roads of his adopted student c
    Read More
  • Recycling innovation unveiled at World of Asphalt
    May 13, 2015
    Road recycling technology was one focus area at the recent World of Asphalt exhibition in the US city of Baltimore - Mike Woof writes. The economic and environmental benefits to be gained from recycling road materials are well understood. In many markets such as North America, Europe and now China, the percentage of road materials being recycled is on the increase. New technologies are helping make recycling more efficient and widening the possibilities for contractors and clients One innovative deve
    Read More
  • Doosan’s new 40-50tonne excavators offer greater fuel efficiency
    February 4, 2015
    Ideal for quarry-based applications, the new Doosan 40-50 tonne DX420LC-5, DX490LC-5 and DX530LC-5 are the company’s largest Stage IV/Tier 4 Final compliant crawler excavators. The operating weights of the DX420LC-5 and DX490LC-5 have increased by 700kg and 500kg respectively compared to the previous LC-3 models. Lifting capacities have increased by an average of 5% on all three models, except for the DX530LC-5, where the lifting capacity over the side has also increased by 12%.
    Read More

Highlighted Content