Oil consumption is increasing at the same time as discoveries of major new oil reserves are increasingly few and far between. In parallel, average temperatures are rising owning to the increasing emissions of carbon dioxides resulting from the burning of oil, coal and gas. No single fuel and no single engine type will alone be able to solve the energy problems of the future. The Volvo Group is therefore working across a broad front with development of future drivelines and on adjustment to new fuels in order to determine the relative potential of the various solutions.

Volvo supports an evaluation of different alternative fuels in order to reduce dependence on fossil fuel in construction equipment and in the transport sector. Considered feasible in Heavy Duty applications are:

Bio-diesel (FAME/RME): FAME (Fatty Acid Methyl Ester) is a renewable resource – produced from crops; it has a lower particulate emission and a lower emission of hydrocarbons; if it has lower sulphur content, sulphur dioxide emissions are lower.

All engines regardless of size are approved to use B5 or 5% biodiesel. Engines 4 liters and larger may utilize B20 or 20% biodiesel.

Following things are important if B20 is used:

Choose a fuel supplier that supplies fuel according to ASTM 6715-08 (B100), ASTM D975-08a (B5) and/or ASTM D7467-08 (B6-B20). Only fuels meeting these standards are acceptable.
Start with new fuel filters. The fuel filters may have to be changed more frequently to start with due to loosening of sediment and other deposits as biodiesel acts as a solvent.
Oil sampling is a must. Especially to see that the oil isn't diluted with fuel.
Oil changing intervals cannot exceed 250 hours. Depending on oil samples it might be less.

Always keep an eye on everything made of rubber in the fuel system. Continually monitor for leaks and degradation of components in contact with fuel. The best practice is to change rubber hoses and components in contact with the fuel yearly.

Because of the above, a service contract is recommended.

Warranty is maintained and will only be an issue if a problem is a result of poor quality fuel.

Expect less power from the engine.

DME: regarded by the Volvo Group as one of the most efficient renewable fuels, an alternative with extremely low exhaust emissions and very close to CO2 neutral if produced from biomass. DME (dimethyl-ether) has a high overall energy efficiency…and only modest modifications are required to convert a diesel engine to run on DME.

Volvo views tomorrow’s fuels and drivelines from what we term the “well-to-wheel” perspective. The aim is to obtain the maximum possible energy efficiency from the energy source itself all the way to the vehicle’s wheels. We believe that energy supply will vary with regional conditions and our task is to continue taking an active role in this development process.

Being the world’s largest engine manufacturer for heavy duty vehicles, Volvo has excellent preconditions for tailoring our product range to suit the customer’s energy availability and the work that the vehicle is required to do. In order to be able to offer the most cost-effective solution, one that is tailored to the customer’s particular needs, Volvo is therefore working on several different alternatives for future drivelines and fuels.

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