Nine generators equipped with Volvo Penta D16 engines will power Sweden Rock Festival this week using 100% hydro-treated vegetable oil (HVO) fuel. The move is said to bolster the credentials of a festival that is known not just for its mix of hard rock, metal and blues but also for its longstanding environmentally conscious philosophy.
The 16-litre power generation engines are responsible for powering and lighting the festival’s five stages from June 8-11, ensuring the 35,000 visitors can see and hear all performances – including headline act Guns N’ Roses.
Volvo Penta combustion engines have been able to run on HVO fuel – neat or blended with conventional diesel, since 2016 when Volvo Penta approved its use, enabling a reduction of CO2 emissions by up to 90%. Although Volvo Penta engines do not need any type of approval or specific certification for HVO usage, the decision to use HVO fuel was based on extensive field testing and endorsement of HVO for on-road use by sister company Volvo Trucks, part of the Volvo Group.
HVO is a renewable, paraffinic fuel, also known as synthetic diesel. In, the Nordics, the source of HVO stems largely from forestry waste. A significant number of customers, particularly in the Nordic countries, are now using HVO with Volvo Penta engines.
“The sustainability of Sweden Rock is crucial,” said Anders Östensson, Sustainability Coordinator at Sweden Rock Festival. “We are always looking for solutions that help us to consume less energy and improve our carbon footprint, so being able to power the Volvo Penta engines on HVO instead of diesel is a big win for us. This change will have a big impact – half of the festival’s electricity will be supplied by these generators. It’s amazing when we find partners that can help us make a difference.”
Volvo Penta’s D16 engine puts out 650kVA and 520kW of power. The nine gensets have a combined maximum capacity of 4.2MW.
In 2018, Volvo Penta announced its intention to offer electric power systems by 2021 and, in June 2020, the firm appointed Helene Mellquist as president.
