Hitachi successfully tests an excavator on algae derived biofuel.
Hitachi is in the process of testing various biofuels in various machines. One of the recent tests consisted of using Solazyme’s algae derived Soladiesel. Microalgae are the tiny phytoplankton that occurs in sea water, fresh water and on land. Algae produce several hundred times more oil than other oil crops and its use does not affect the price of food, such as with biofuels derived from, for example, corn/maize. It is therefore a good potential supplier of renewable energy to replace fossil fuels.
The Hitachi ZH200 operated with 100 % biofuel derived from algae for 500 hours, which is the typical time interval between oil changes. The experienced operator indicated that the excavator produced as much power as conventional diesel. The algae biofuel has characteristics not found in conventional fuels or biofuels. Its cetane number is very high and it does not contain any sulphur or aromatics, which helps with emission reductions. All tests carried out showed that the biofuel used had no adverse effects on machine performance, or the mechanics of the machine itself. Source: www.hitachi-c-m.com