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

  • Dynapac’s compact paver for small job
    March 20, 2019
    Dynapac is introducing a new ultra-compact asphalt paver, for use in small paving jobs. The machine can pave 800mm wide, its narrow width and compact dimensions suiting it to use in reinstatement jobs after utilities work, cycle lane, driveway or pedestrian walkway jobs for example. It can also be used for laying sand and gravel base materials, for later surfacing. The firm says that the machine offers a more productive solution for small paving works than traditional hand finishing methods, while also pro
    Read More
  • Pūhoi-to-Warkworth motorway project
    September 25, 2020
    After a hiatus because of the COVID-19 lockdown, work has restarted on what will be one of New Zealand’s most visually impressive motorways. Andrew Thackwray, senior manager for project delivery for Waka Kotahi, the New Zealand Transport Agency, explains
    Read More
  • Project AME: the world’s first 3D-printed excavator
    March 7, 2017
    The world’s first 3D-printed excavator was unveiled in the new Tech Experience zone of CONEXPO-CON/AGG. Project AME (Additive Manufactured Excavator), led by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and involving multiple partners from industry, trade associations and academia, was instigated back in 2014 when visiting members of the Center for Compact and Efficient Fluid Power (CCEFP) saw ORNL’s 3D-printed car.
    Read More
  • Iterchimica’s cross-linking agents boost PMB performance
    August 1, 2019
    Cross-linking agents can vastly improve the stability and performance of polymer-modified bitumen (PMB), according to additive specialist Iterchimica. Modified bitumen can become unstable when it is stored inside a tank because the polymer rises to the top, meaning that the rheological behaviour of the bitumen varies through the tank. Cross-linking agents modify bitumen through a chemical action that stabilises the bitumen inside the tank to create a homogenous PMB and, hence, a homogeneous asphalt conc
    Read More

Highlighted Content