Komatsu factory-fills equipment with renewable diesel

Filling a Komatsu machine with HVO as factory-fill fuel at the KGC plant in Hannover, Germany (Photo: Komatsu Ltd.)

Komatsu Ltd. and its wholly owned subsidiary Komatsu Europe International N.V. announced April 20 the company’s decision to switch to hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), also referred to as renewable diesel, as factory-fill fuel for Komatsu equipment produced in Europe.

In line with Komatsu’s long-term goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, and as a challenging target in the mid-term management plan, this Komatsu world first will begin in April at the Komatsu Germany GmbH, Construction Division (KGC) plant in Hannover, Germany, and at the Komatsu U.K. 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 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 materials such as used 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 percent, if the machine is fueled with 100 percent HVO, such as the branded MY Renewable Diesel™ from Neste Corp., one of Komatsu’s main suppliers of HVO.

“HVO not only grants lower emissions during operation by superior chemical composition, [but] Komatsu’s HVO first-fill product (Neste MY Renewable Diesel) is mainly made of waste material, limiting consumption renewable resources such as vegetable oils,” said Ingo Büscher, managing director of KGC. “We are committed to supporting 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.

By embracing solutions like HVO fuel, Komatsu is helping to create a more sustainable future for the construction and mining industries.