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

  • Climate change affects the road network
    November 5, 2019
    Climate change is affecting the road network, with increased risks of flooding and wear and tear adding to maintenance headaches.
    Read More
  • Rural road resurfacing to boost safety
    October 21, 2016
    Rebuilding a local road in southern Germany will provide users with a safer route, particularly in poor weather conditions. Black Forest-based contractor Waltersbacher has used a tracked AFT 500 asphalt paver from Ammann to resurface a local road in the municipality of Glatten, near Baiersbronn. The contractor has used a number of smaller Ammann compaction units in the past. So when it won the contract to upgrade the road the firm opted to buy the AFT 500 to handle this work, as well as other jobs r
    Read More
  • Samoter-Asphaltica 2014 sparks greater Italian optimism
    July 3, 2014
    The recent co-located Samoter and Asphaltica exhibitions at VeronaFiere in Verona, Italy, have been hailed a success by organisers, exhibiting companies and trade delegations, after more than 40,000 visitors, including thousands from outside Italy, attended the combined 445 exhibitor company-strong four-day events. There is no doubt, as Guy Woodford reports, they provided a timely boost to an Italian construction equipment manufacturing sector enduring tough times
    Read More
  • Innovative, flexible bridge formwork systems
    February 14, 2012
    Innovative formwork systems have been used to construct a variety of bridge structures. Patrick Smith reports. As part of the work on Germany's new A4 autobahn near Eisenach, the contracting joint venture awarded the formwork contract for two of the three viaducts to Doka. What makes this assignment so special to the company is that although the two steel composite bridges each have very different cross-sections, the JV is using the same overslung composite forming carriage to pour the carriageway slabs of
    Read More

Highlighted Content