Since August 2024, the Liebherr factory in Nenzing, Austria, has switched to HVO fuel for the machines it produces. The major advantage in using this instead of fossil diesel is that it is largely CO2 neutral, contributing significantly to reducing global greenhouse gas emissions. The HVO fuel is now also being used in the factory’s supply chain.

HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil) is a synthetically produced fuel that is mainly obtained from vegetable and animal oil, and fat waste from the food industry. These are converted into hydrocarbons with the addition of hydrogen. Liebherr said the HVO fuel from Neste used by the Nenzing factory is one of the highest quality fuels on the market and is free from palm oil. Compared to conventional diesel and other fossil fuels, HVO provides up to 90% less CO2 emissions during combustion.

According to Liebherr, the use of HVO in its machines manufactured in Nenzing can save 300,000 l of diesel per year and reduce CO2 emissions by 810 t. This corresponds to a 20% reduction in direct CO2 emissions at the site. As HVO can be mixed with fossil diesel in any ratio and used with conventional combustion engines, most Liebherr machines in the global fleet can be operated immediately and effectively with HVO. The higher the proportion of HVO in the fuel mixture, the higher are the CO2 savings.

Liebherr added that since the beginning of August 2024, Vorarlberg transport company has also been carrying out all transport operations for Liebherr Nenzing using HVO-powered vehicles. Thanks to this collaboration, the site is significantly reducing its CO2 footprint and improving environmental standards in the supply chain. This conversion can save 23% of transport emissions and 3,500 t of CO2.