The United States Environmental Protection Agency is currently proposing a new rule for renewable fuels that it expects will increase demand for biodiesel. And as it happens, John Deere has just announced it is increasing the biodiesel approval rating on its Final Tier 4 diesel engines from B20 to B30. In addition, already authorized fuel for those engines also includes renewable (HVO) up to 100 per cent (RD100).
Stage V Deere engines operated within the European Union can use up to B8 biodiesel.
All Deere Tier 3/Stage III A and lower tier engines are approved for biodiesel blends up to B100. And all John Deere spark ignition turf and utility equipment is approved for E10 ethanol blends.
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“At John Deere, we’re committed to supporting and growing the use of renewable fuels in our equipment,” said Pierre Guyot, senior vice president of John Deere Power Systems, in a press release. “We believe strongly in the role that renewable fuels play in supporting the agriculture economy and are excited to offer our customers — including those who grow the very crops used to make renewable fuels — the opportunity to leverage higher blends of fuels like biodiesel in their own equipment.”
Although there has been uncertainty around the proposed U.S. biofuel policy — as there has been in nearly all recent policy statements from the current U.S. administration — there seems to be growing global optimism for the use of biofuels.
An increase in biofuel production here could help offset the negative effect of the current punitive Chinese tariff on Canadian canola.
China has also placed punishing tariffs on U.S. soybeans, choking off demand. Increased domestic biofuel production along with proposed U.S. limits on importing foreign fuel stocks could also help to offset the economic impacts of tariffs for U.S. farmers.
Whether or not tariffs remain in place and continue to put downward pressure on commodity prices, Deere said it will continue to pursue more environmentally friendly fuel alternatives.
Deere said it is exploring the use of higher ethanol blends in future gasoline engines, including the development of a concept 9.0-litre ethanol engine that runs on E98, which it displayed at Agritechnica in Germany in 2023. Deere claimed the ethanol engine produces up to 40 per cent less greenhouse gas emissions than a conventional gasoline engine.
Deere highlighted the new increased biodiesel compatibility for Tier 4 engines at this year’s U.S. Farm Progress show in Illinois during August by running all its ride-and-drive equipment on that fuel.
It’s all part of a sustainability initiative the brand announced in 2023, which targets developing low- and no-carbon power alternatives by 2030.
Deere also aims to increase the use of recyclable and sustainable materials in its production. An example of that was the 2022 announcement of a joint effort with ford that produced a concept Gator, which used components made from renewable, recycled and recyclable materials such as soybeans, flax fibre, sugar cane, hemp fibre, bottles and even fishing nets.
In its 2023 business impact report, Deere said up to 93 per cent of its newest H Series log skidders can be recycled or remanufactured.
