Rolls-Royce, Neste cooperate on fuels

Rolls-Royce and Neste have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to build a strategic partnership on the implementation of sustainable fuels for diesel engines in off-highway applications.

The main components of the agreement are promoting the use of existing internal combustion engines for sustainable fuels, advancing the transition from fossil fuels to sustainable fuels and knowledge sharing on high-quality renewable diesel (HVO).

Rolls-Royce and Neste have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to build a strategic partnership on the implementation of sustainable fuels for diesel engines. From left to right, Mats Hultman, head of OEM Partnerships at Neste., Lars Peter Lindfors, senior vice president Innovations at Neste, Tobias Ostermaier, president Stationary Power Solutions at Rolls-Royce Power Systems and Michael Stipa, vice president Stationary Strategy, Business Development and Product Management at Rolls-Royce Power Systems. (Photo: Rolls-Royce Power Systems)

“Through our ‘Net Zero at Power Systems’ sustainability program, we have committed to realigning our mtu product portfolio so that by 2030, sustainable fuels and new mtu technologies will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 35% compared to 2019,” said Tobias Ostermaier, president – Stationary Power Solutions within Rolls-Royce Power Systems. “This near-term target plays an important role in helping the whole of Rolls-Royce realize its net zero ambitions. Our agreement with Neste, the world’s leading producer of renewable diesel, will help us achieve our goals and those of our customers.”

Neste MY Renewable Diesel is produced from 100% renewable raw materials. “With Neste MY Renewable Diesel, greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced by as much as 75% to 95% when emissions over the fuel’s life cycle are compared with fossil diesel,” said Lars Peter Lindfors, senior vice president Innovations at Neste. “Companies can reduce their climate emissions significantly in an instant by just changing the fuel.”

Rolls-Royce said tests show HVO use significantly reduces CO2, nitrogen oxide and particulate emissions

“Since May 2022, Rolls-Royce has approved mtu diesel engines for Power Generation for renewable diesel (also known as HVO) and other EN15940 fuels,” said Michael Stipa, vice president Stationary Strategy, Business Development and Product Management for Rolls-Royce Power Systems. “The tests we have done show an up to 90% greenhouse gas reduction, up to 80% less particulate emissions and an average of 8% nitrogen oxides reduction. All our tests revealed full performance without modifications to the engines.”

Rolls-Royce Power Systems is gradually releasing its main mtu engine series for sustainable fuels such as HVO and e-diesel for use in other applications such as rail, marine and the construction industry.

Neste currently has a renewable products global production capacity of 3.3 million tons annually. Neste’s ongoing Singapore expansion project and a joint venture with Marathon in Martinez, California, USA, that is still pending completion, will increase the total production capacity of renewable products to 5.5 million tons by the end of 2023.

It will make Neste the only global provider of renewable fuels and renewable feedstock for polymers and chemicals with a production footprint on three continents. When completed, the expansion of its Rotterdam refinery will further increase the company’s total production capacity of renewable products to 6.8 million tons by the end of 2026.