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

  • Volvo’s H-series wheel loaders set for heavy-duty workouts
    April 4, 2016
    Volvo Construction Equipment’s latest H-Series wheeled loaders give a high performance in heavy-duty operations. All the machines - L150H, L180H, L180H HL (High-Lift), L220H and L250H - are equipped with Volvo’s OptiShift technology. Volvo says this eliminates power loss in the torque converter and reduces fuel consumption by up to 18%. Combined with Volvo CE’s patented Reverse By Braking (RBB) technology, OptiShift boosts productivity and efficiency in all applications. RBB is ideal for short cycl
    Read More
  • Hitachi digs deep into gravel pits for Swiss firm Scrasa
    July 15, 2015
    Swiss civil engineering company Scrasa has made a successful investment in a Hitachi ZX470LCH-5 as the main production machine for its sand and gravel pit. The large Zaxis-5 excavator was delivered to Scrasa’s Satigny site on the outskirts of Geneva by the country’s Hitachi dealer, Probst Maveg. The ZX470LCH-5 is part of a fleet of machinery that includes two ZX225USLC-5s, a ZX135US-5 and a ZX85USBLC-5, but it is the only machine based at Satigny. Scrasa said the ZX470LCH-5 plays a key role in the excava
    Read More
  • Keestrack’s R2 crusher makes an impact
    June 23, 2025
    Keestrack’s R2 impact crusher is mounted on tracks, allowing it to be deployed quickly while its compact size meaning it can operate on sites with limited space.
    Read More
  • Wirtgen Group machines delivering new runway for German airbase
    October 26, 2016
    Machines from the Wirtgen Group are carrying out an important reconstruction job for the surface course at Büchel Air Base. Road machinery from Hamm, Vögele and Wirtgen as well as asphalt plants from Benninghoven have been carrying out the work, delivering a new runway within a tight timeframe. To achieve this, the work had to be planned well in advance, with the contractors organising the logistics and their personnel accordingly.
    Read More

Highlighted Content