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

  • Stiffer roads, less fuel?
    October 19, 2020
    Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology looked at how much fuel – and, hence carbon – could be saved by making roads in the US stiffer. They concluded that by resurfacing 10% of roads every year for the next 50 years, 0.5% of total transport emissions, or 440 megatons, would be saved over that period.
    Read More
  • Iterchimica’s Gipave used in major UK road trial
    October 3, 2024
    This is the first time graphene-enhanced Gipave has been applied on the UK’s strategic road network - major highways and motorways - and follows ongoing trials on local roads.
    Read More
  • Need for sustainability in infrastructure projects
    July 13, 2012
    What can contractors gain from a sustainability strategy and why is it now a vital business imperative? Abigroup, one of Australia's leading and most diverse national contractors, has developed a sustainability strategy suited to its industry, workforce and business. World Highways discusses this and other issues with Sarah Marshall, Abigroup's national environment and sustainability manager. In the past a responsible business was viewed as one that performed strongly within legal boundaries to maximise pro
    Read More
  • Komatsu introducing intelligent excavator
    December 8, 2014
    Komatsu has continued its development of Intelligent Machine Control (IMC) systems, in cooperation with global partner Topcon, with the launch of the PC210LCi-10, the first fully integrated OEM machine control crawler excavator. Unlike its IMC-equipped D61PXi/EXi dozer that was introduced last year, the popular 21 tonne excavator has been unveiled first in Europe, rather than in Japan or the USA. The machine, which is built at Komatsu UK’s excavator plant in Birtley in the North East of England, offers sem
    Read More

Highlighted Content