Caterpillar HVO engines to power Sandvik equipment

The engines being used in Sandvik equipment are capable of running on renewable and alternative fuels, including hydrotreated vegetable oil. (Photo: Caterpillar)

Caterpillar announced it is providing Cat C-Series engines to Sandvik Mobile Crushers and Screeners to power its mining and construction equipment. Supplied through Cat dealer Finning UK and Ireland, the engines are capable of running on renewable and alternative fuels, including hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) certified to EN15940 or ASTM D975.

HVO is a form of renewable synthetic diesel produced from certified waste fats and oils through hydro-processing. According to Caterpillar, HVO provides similar performance to regular diesel but reduces an engine’s carbon footprint during operation and can lower nitrogen oxide (NOx) and particulate matter under certain conditions. Because of its chemical similarities to diesel, machine power output and uptime are not compromised, and HVO can be blended with diesel.

Sandvik is investing in renewable fuels as it makes a shift toward increased sustainability. “We are committed to using engineering and innovation through all our operations to make the shift towards more sustainable business. With a host of innovations in the pipeline, including electrification of our offering, we are excited to be pioneers in the industry and invest in renewable fuel sources and sustainable rock processing solutions,” said Jesper Persson, vice president of Life Cycle Services at Sandvik Mobiles.

Sandvik has successfully completed testing on its range of machines to confirm they can operate with HVO without modifications to the engines or fuel tanks. Results have shown the fuel can reduce the net carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by up to 90% compared with conventional diesel.

“Our Cat dealer Finning offered its expertise throughout the project, sharing its extensive knowledge on engines and fuels to provide Sandvik with all the information it needed,” Steve Ferguson, vice president, Caterpillar Industrial Power Systems, commented. “Our Cat C-Series engines give customers the flexibility to use HVO as both a replacement and addition to their conventional diesel fuel, depending on their requirements.”

“Working alongside Finning to performance engineer the feasibility of HVO means we can data collect and monitor any impact on the performance and output of both new and existing machinery,” Persson added. “It’s an exciting step in our contribution to sustainability and we will work together with our customers and suppliers for more productive, safer and innovative solutions.”