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

  • Versatile recycling option
    February 28, 2012
    A pavement recycling contractor in eastern New York State in the US is using an innovative and versatile Wirtgen machine to carry out very different road rehabilitation tasks. This unit is being used to lay foamed bitumen-recycling pavements as well as carrying out cold-milling.
    Read More
  • Rubber tyre re-use
    June 18, 2012
    Re-using crumb rubber in asphalt offers numerous benefits – Mike Woof In the US, the use of crumb rubber from old car and truck tyres in asphalt mixes has been tried over a number of years. The technology has improved considerably too, with this approach now offering much longer lasting performance. Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) is one of the latest states to adopt this approach and has amended its road construction specifications to include recycled tyre rubber as an alternative to conventi
    Read More
  • Evonik's DYNAVIS technology creates high-performance hydraulic fluids that can save costs
    April 20, 2016
    Changing the hydraulic fluid is not usually the first thought that comes to mind when looking to improve the performance of machines, but can in fact lead to up to 30% lower fuel consumption under extreme conditions, claims Evonik Industries. Hydraulic fluids featuring Evonik's DYNAVIS technology, such as those from Total and Indian Oil, are able to offer this and other benefits. When compared with hydraulic equipment operating with conventional monograde hydraulic fluids, DYNAVIS-formulated hydraulic
    Read More
  • Landmark new UK bridge project
    December 2, 2020
    COWI is working on a landmark UK bridge project.
    Read More

Highlighted Content