The main bulk of CO2 emissions produced throughout the lifecycle of our construction equipment is centered on product operation, during which approximately 90% of emissions are produced. We have acknowledged this fact, and are working to reduce these operational emissions through three different initiatives: “Dantotsu Products”, “Dantotsu Service”, and “Dantotsu Solutions”.
We provide products which have been designed to operate with great fuel efficiency while reducing gross CO2 emissions. Komatsu pioneered the creation and introduction of the hybrid hydraulic excavator, marked as the first of its kind to be introduced into the market.
These hybrid construction machines have been certified by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of Japan as a “Low Carbon Type Construction Equipment.”
As of April 2020, a total of 16 of our hybrid models have received such certification, such as the HB215-3, HB205-3, HB335-3, and HB365-3.
In addition to this, another 19 of our product models (including the bulldozer D155AX-8, the hydraulic excavator PC300-11, the wheel loader WA470-8) have been certified to meet the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism's “Construction Machines Fulfilling Fuel Economy Standards” signifying these products as construction equipment with great fuel efficiency.
The Komatsu Tracking System “KOMTRAX” is a system developed by Komatsu that automatically gathers the operational information/health information of our construction vehicles that operate all over the world, making it possible to then monitor/manage/analyze the vehicles remotely. Information with regards to operation times, fuel consumption, and other such relevant data is communicated to our customers via the internet, which is then analyzed to create opportunities for improvement. This enhanced operational efficiency helps to reduce fuel consumption, which results in a reduction in overall CO2 emissions.
In 2013, Komatsu introduced the world’s first automatic blade control ICT bulldozer, D61PXi-23, to the North American, European, and Japanese markets. Following this, in 2014, Komatsu developed and released a hydraulic excavator with semiautomatic control functions (PC210LCi-10 for North America and Europe, and PC200i-10 for Japan). Preliminary calculations based on in-house testing were promising, with construction data for ICT hydraulic excavators showing that fore-slope shaping work using the PC200i-10 resulted in an approximate reduction of 30% in fuel consumption. In addition, the same testing showed that ICT bulldozers (like the D61DXi-23) used in land preparation work resulted in an approximate reduction of 25% in fuel consumption. Our testing with hydraulic excavators also showcased a significant decrease in CO2 emissions.
To consolidate our efforts in this sector, Komatsu is implementing “SMART Construction”, a system that uses ICT-type construction machines alongside drones and 3D scanners to take real-time topography measurements. This initiative helps showcase the efficiency of our machines by recording progress in construction sites and other relevant performance indicators.
Komatsu has set the target of reducing the CO2 emissions from the operation of products (construction, mine, and forestry equipment) by 50% by FY2030 (compared to FY2010).
To evaluate progress toward this goal, we compared the performance of the current year’s products to the products of the reference year (FY2010) and estimated CO2 reductions through the improvement of fuel consumption and work efficiency. The products of FY2019 achieved a CO2 reduction of 14%, compared to the reference year.
Independent Practitioner's Assurance
CO2 emission index for product operations
The Joy 18HD and 22HD LHD’s utilize our energy efficient SR*2 electric drive train technology coupled with our innovative KESS (kinetic energy storage system) energy storage solution to achieve best in class production, lower fuel consumption, and reduced emissions. The SR electric drive efficiently provides power to the wheel motors to propel the machine. During braking, the braking energy, which would otherwise be wasted as heat, is captured and stored in the KESS unit as the system electrically brakes the machine. The braking energy stored in the KESS can now be directed back into the traction system as needed which directly removes a portion of the load from the engine, resulting in 30% or more reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.
In February 2020, Komatsu released the WA470-10 wheel loader, which employs the latest technologies throughout and also drastically improves fuel efficiency. It is equipped with the Komatsu hydraulic mechanical transmission (KHMT), which combines a hydro-static transmission (HST) capable of stepless shift transmission with a high-efficiency mechanical transmission, and uses the newly developed KHMT control system. It comprehensively evaluates loads on the machine and automatically controls engine power and the distribution of power to the running system and machine operating system, etc. to more appropriately control acceleration, traction, and working force, etc. These controls keep the engine in a low-speed/high-efficiency state, resulting in improved fuel consumption. Furthermore, the workload has also been improved by the newly reshaped bucket. As a result, fuel consumption (ton/L) has improved by approx. 30% compared to the conventional machine (WA470-8), as it exhibits superior environmental and economic performance.
| Rated engine output (net) | 216ｋW |
|---|---|
| Operating mass | 24,830kg |
| Bucket capacity | 3.6-5.2m |
Komatsu has put PC3400-11M0, its new 300 t-class mining hydraulic shovel with an 18 m3 bucket capacity, onto the market. This model is equipped with our newly developed ultra-large control valve, and controls the hydraulic system electronically. The ultra-large control valve has a unique internal structure that drastically reduces pressure loss under high flow conditions. In addition, the electronically controlled hydraulic system enables optimal control of the hydraulic devices according to the operating status of the machine, realizing good operability and drastically reduced hydraulic pressure loss. As a result, the machine’s fuel consumption has improved 22% compared to the current machine (PC3000-6), including the 4.7% improvement in fuel consumption from the hydraulic system. In addition to the new control valve, other main devices including the main pump, swing motor, running motor, and hydraulic cylinder are all developed and produced by Komatsu. Through Komatsu's traditions of high quality and reliability, we have successfully reduced machine downtime, leading to improved productivity on mining sites.
KELK Ltd. has released a thermoelectric EH vibration sensor device, including the FFT (fast Fourier transform) analysis function, a global first. It is powered by thermoelectric energy harvesting (thermoelectric EH), which harvests minute thermal energy from the surrounding environment. The thermoelectric EH vibration sensor device operates using power it generates using KELGEN, a high-performance thermoelectric power generation module, and does not use batteries or an external power supply. This eliminates the waste of disposed batteries and the need for external electric power. Wiring work is also unnecessary. Therefore, it is an energy-saving product that reduces initial and running costs.
Approximately 50% of equipment failures are caused by rotary devices. Vibration errors are observed at the initial stages of the deterioration of rotary devices. Preventive maintenance is made possible by detecting errors at an early stage through the continuous monitoring of the equipment status to ensure maintenance is performed at the right time, before a failure occurs. This is expected to reduce opportunity loss due to equipment failure, repair costs, and the inventory of parts for maintenance.
As a part of our efforts to mitigate climate change, Komatsu aims to proactively reduce the amount of CO2 emissions per unit, using CO2 emissions per unit of manufacturing value as our main indicator for the amount of electricity, gas, oil and other types of energy used in research/development at our offices and in manufacturing operations.
In FY2019, we set new mid- and long-term objectives globally and have been promoting improvement activities.
Because of the decrease in production due to decreasing demand for construction/mine machinery, CO2 emissions decreased in both Japan and overseas in FY2019. The unit per internal manufacturing value also declined drastically from the previous year.
Thanks to energy-saving activities in casting and forging processes, which emit a lot of CO2, new solar power plants, and green electricity purchases, the CO2 emission intensity per internal manufacturing value was reduced 31.5%, compared to FY2010, which achieved the FY2019 objective of a 24% reduction.
In addition, the usage rate of renewable energy increased to 10.7%, achieving the FY2019 objective (10% or higher) due to purchases of green electricity mainly in Europe and the U.S.
We aim to reduce CO2 emission intensity in FY2020 and later, focusing on the CO2 emission reduction project for casting and forging processes.
| Item | FY2018 | FY2019 | Target of FY2030 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
CO2 Emissions Basic Unit (compared FY2010) |
79.5 |
68.5 |
50 |
|
The rate of renewable energy use |
5.3％ |
10.7％ |
50％ |
Japan
Overseas
Independent Practitioner's Assurance
CO2 Emissions
The rate of renewable energy use
PT. Komatsu Undercarriage Indonesia (KUI) produces parts for the underbodies of construction machinery. They have improved productivity, utility equipment efficiency, and implemented various other energy-saving activities. In FY2019, they reduced CO2 emissions per unit of manufacturing by 52%, compared to FY2010. KUI has also been working as one team to further TPM activities since FY2013 which has also led to CO2 reductions. For example, for one compressor that supplies power to seven forging air hammers, which use the most energy in the plant, KUI began with basic activities such as eliminating air leaks, followed by a review of the air piping system and the introduction of an inverter to enable the air to follow pressure changes since FY2018, achieving a CO2 reduction of approx. 500 tons. In addition, they have also performed other activities, such as switching the heat source for hammering thermal processing from light oil to city gas, which is more environmentally friendly. KUI has been conducting CO2 reduction project activities with plants in Japan and China since FY2019 and has been promoting activities for further reductions, mainly in the hammering process.
(Basic Unit of CO2 Emissions per Cargo Weight: kg-CO2/ton)
In 2011, Komatsu began improving our data collection regarding CO2 emissions from logistics operations in our 10 major international business locations. Including the improvements that were implemented in domestic locations from 2006, we have now implemented improvements in logistics operations on a globally consolidated basis at all 25 business locations.
Domestically, we have continued to focus on reducing transportation distance by increasing the utilization rate of Kanazawa and Hitachi Naka Ports (which are located adjacent to manufacturing plants), as well as improving long distance and overland transportation through the use of coastal vessels and railways (modal shift).
In FY2019, we continued to implement the priority items above. However, due to a significant reduction in the number of vehicles exported, the basic unit index (CO2 emissions per cargo weight) worsened, +10% compared to FY2018. The index at overseas bases improved, +1.1% compared to FY2018. Estimates are included in the India plant data for February and March 2020.
Independent Practitioner's Assurance
Komatsu strongly promotes a modal shift. Because the new Tsuruga-Hakata route for RORO vessels was established in April 2019, we reviewed the transportation route of the products manufactured at Awazu Plant for the northwest Kyushu area and enabled a substantial driver load reduction and CO2 emissions improvement. Therefore, we switched the routes in western Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, and northern Kumamoto to the routes via Tsuruga Port (Eastern Fukuoka prefecture and Yamaguchi prefecture will use the route from Osaka Nanko Port to Shinmoji Port).
Improvement of CO2 emissions: 72.4 t/year (0.35% of CO2 emissions from domestic transportation)
Independent Practitioner's Assurance
In addition to CO2 emissions from production / sales / service etc., Komatsu aims to collate data regarding CO2 emissions from our entire supply chain, and reduce CO2 emissions. For that purpose, Scope 3 CO2 emissions are calculated each year.
Scope1:CO2 directly discharged from Komatsu (e.g. CO2 emissions during fuel combustion)
Scope2:Indirect emissions of CO2 due to energy use in Komatsu (e.g. CO2 emissions produced at power generation due to use of purchased electricity)
Scope3:Other indirect CO2 emissions
(Example) Upstream: CO2 etc. generated during manufacturing of purchased items
Komatsu: Transportation ・CO2 emissions occurring during commuting, business trips etc.
Downstream: CO2 emissions produced when using products, such as construction machinery
From live data gathered by KOMTRAX, Komatsu has gained perspective on the amount of CO2 emissions (Scope 3 Category 11) produced by our products manufactured in reported fiscal year in operation world-wide.
The calculation was performed as follows.
Calculation of Emissions from Customer Use
(1) Calculate the following by each model
CO2 emissions over the life of each model
= (Production Volume for reported fiscal year) × (Fuel Consumption; L/kWh) × (Engine Output; kW)
× (Engine Life; as product life; h) × (CO2 Conversion Factor)
※Data for fuel consumption（L/KWh）was collected using KOMTRAX as a representative model.
(2) Total these values, calculated for each model in (1) above
For others, including the 14 remaining categories, general CO2 emissions was calculated. The result is shown in the pie chart below.
As evident from the results above, emissions during product use make up approximately 90% of total emissions.
From this, we can see that fuel-efficient products have a significant effect on reducing CO2 emissions.
Komatsu is committed to developing hybrid construction machinery (improving fuel efficiency by 25%) and DANTOTSU products (over 10% improvement in fuel efficiency). In addition to this, we are accelerating the development and implementation of our ICT-based SMART CONSTRUCTION business.
In addition, the results of our assessments regarding LCA * 1 (Life Cycle Assessment) can be found in the pie chart below.
«Reference» Pie Chart of Scope1, 2, 3
