Claas approve Hydrotreated Vegetable Oils for tractors, combine and foragers

Claas has approved the use of Hydrotreated Vegetable Oils (HVO) in all its self-propelled machines with engines that meet the latest Stage V emissions standards.

It also announced that going forward all tractors and harvesting machines will be filled with this biofuel before they leave the factory gates at Harsewinkel and Le Mans.

HVO consists mainly of used cooking oil and animal fats, along with vegetable oils, and has several advantages in that it does not require any engine upgrades. Claas say it can even be used in conjunction with conventional diesel, so does not require any special storage facilities.

It adds that performance in terms of power, wear, durability or engine lifetime is similar but over the entire life cycle of the engine, CO2 emissions can be reduced by up to 90%.

Dr Martin von Hoyningen-Huene, Executive Vice President BU Tractor: “There are no real alternatives to the combustion engine for high-performance agricultural machines in the foreseeable future.

“So, we need solutions that reduce fossil fuel emissions associated with this type of drive, yet do not have significant adverse effects on manufacturing costs, consumption, weight and durability.

Environmental impact

“Hydrotreated plant oils are an ideal choice because they already exist and their positive environmental impacts are immediately apparent.”

The manufacturer said that while battery-power offers advantages for low power engines, for machines such as a forage harvester, to drive it using battery power yet achieve the same level of performance and range of a combustion engine, would result in a machine that is twice the size and weight to the current model.