Sustainability at Volvo Penta
Powering responsible progress
The choices we make today define the world we live in tomorrow. But what does it mean to be sustainable? To us, it’s not just about reducing exhaust emissions and waste. It’s about using resources more carefully. Fighting inequalities. Innovating to solve industry problems. Driving societal change. And being transparent and honest with our sustainability work. As we look ahead, we embrace change, not with hesitation, but with confidence and a strong purpose. By turning words into actions, we can move toward a better future, together. On land and at sea.
Sustainability in our value chain
The environmental impact of our power solutions involves everything from the emissions they produce, the materials we use, our manufacturing process, how our products perform, and what happens when they need a second life. We’re working to improve each of these stages and are moving toward a more circular approach – making both small tweaks and bold changes to how we think and work.
By carefully considering the materials we use and the technologies we develop, we can influence the sustainability profiles of our products and support their long service lives. Adopting a circular design approach is part of how we work more sustainably during design and development.
We do this by reducing the use of, or entirely avoiding, certain materials like virgin plastic in packaging, and since 2016 we engineer all our engines to be compatible with renewable HVO fuel without modification. We also design products with accessible service points and modular components to extend product lifespans and support material recovery.
We do this by reducing the use of, or entirely avoiding, certain materials like virgin plastic in packaging, and since 2016 we engineer all our engines to be compatible with renewable HVO fuel without modification. We also design products with accessible service points and modular components to extend product lifespans and support material recovery.
Our vision is to produce power solutions free of substances of concern. To get there, we're investing in traceability programs like our Sustainable Minerals Program to responsibly source tin, tungsten, tantalum, gold and cobalt.
We’re also developing electrification and hydrogen dual-fuel engines to help us phase out certain substances. And we set high standards for our suppliers through the Volvo Group Supplier Partner Code of Conduct to ensure they comply with our ethical business practices.
We’re also developing electrification and hydrogen dual-fuel engines to help us phase out certain substances. And we set high standards for our suppliers through the Volvo Group Supplier Partner Code of Conduct to ensure they comply with our ethical business practices.
Our work to reduce waste and emissions, optimize water use and improve our handling of solvents, oils and chemicals is always ongoing. All our plants around the globe use 100% renewable electricity from wind, solar, hydroelectric, geothermal or biomass power (as verified by our energy suppliers).
Our Krossholmen marine testing facility in Sweden has achieved landfill-free status – meaning less than 1% of operational waste goes to landfill. Our goal by the end of 2025 is for two of our main sites to be landfill-free, with all main sites targeted for this status by 2030.
Our Krossholmen marine testing facility in Sweden has achieved landfill-free status – meaning less than 1% of operational waste goes to landfill. Our goal by the end of 2025 is for two of our main sites to be landfill-free, with all main sites targeted for this status by 2030.
Sustainability extends beyond our operations to our customers and partners. That’s why we advise our customers on the best solution for their application – considering CO2 emissions and ensuring they get the right engine for their specific needs.
We’ve offered industrial remanufacturing and marine remanufacturing for over 70 years – restoring used products to like-new condition while reducing material and energy usage. And we continue to develop new processes that extend component lifecycles – such as ensuring all engines manufactured since 2016 can run on HVO fuel.
We’ve offered industrial remanufacturing and marine remanufacturing for over 70 years – restoring used products to like-new condition while reducing material and energy usage. And we continue to develop new processes that extend component lifecycles – such as ensuring all engines manufactured since 2016 can run on HVO fuel.
Quality, safety, and environmental care have always been our foundation. Today, these values drive our journey toward more sustainable power solutions on land and at sea. By collaborating with partners who share our vision and being honest about our progress, we're building a future where business success and environmental responsibility can go hand in hand.
Our sustainability action plan
We are proud of our legacy, our present and our ambitions for the future. And our clear targets keep us moving in the right direction. Our sustainability action plan focuses on three key areas: climate, resources and people, and they align with the UN Sustainable Development goals, the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and wider Volvo Group commitments. These targets are guiding us and our partners toward reducing our environmental impact and supporting a more sustainable future.
Reduce CO2e emissions from sold products
Our goal is to reduce CO₂e emissions from the use of sold products over their lifetime by 40% in absolute number by 2034, using 2019 as our baseline year. To achieve this, we’re focusing on developing electric and hybrid solutions, increasing the use of renewable fuels and improving our products’ energy efficiency.
Landfill-free sites
Our goal is to have two landfill-free sites by the end of 2025, and all main sites by 2030. We’ve already achieved the landfill-free status for one of our sites, and a second one is currently going through the process. And we will continue this work until all our sites are landfill-free.
Reduce scope 1 and 2 emissions
We’ve already reduced scope 1 and scope 2 absolute CO₂e emissions in all main sites (including plants) by 50%, with 2019 as a baseline. Now, we aim to reduce them by 75% by 2030. To do this, we’re increasing our use of renewable energy, improving energy efficiency, and increasing our use of renewable fuels for testing.
100% renewable energy usage
Our goal is for all of our plants globally to run on 100% renewable energy by 2025, and all main sites by 2030, with 2019 as our baseline year. We’ve already achieved 100% renewable electricity use in all plants and offices globally, and are continuing this work across all main sites.
Reduce net-CO₂e emissions from sold products
Our goal is to reduce net-CO₂e emissions from the use of sold products over their lifetime by 40% in absolute number by 2034, using 2019 as our baseline year. To achieve this, we’re focusing on developing electric and hybrid solutions, increasing the use of renewable fuels and improving our products’ energy efficiency.
Be a net-zero emissions company
Our long-term goal is to become a net-zero emissions company by 2050. We're still developing our detailed roadmap for this target, which will build on our 2040 net-zero products goal. This ambitious timeline depends not just on our own innovations but also on broader energy infrastructure development and alternative fuel availability.
Steps toward a bigger goal
Step by step. Day by day. Sometimes it’s the small changes that help us contribute to something bigger. And we’re proud of the steps we’ve already taken – actively reducing the use of fossil fuels in our plants, minimizing the waste produced at our sites, and prioritizing design changes to our engines to ensure they’re HVO compatible.
2024
100% renewable electricity in our plants
2024
Our first landfill-free site at Krossholmen, Sweden
2020
Commitment to the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi)
2016
All new engines compatible with HVO fuel
Innovating for a better tomorrow
Remanufacturing
We’ve worked with remanufacturing for over 70 years. By restoring used products to like-new condition, we can reduce material and energy usage while meeting our established quality standards.
Electromobility at sea
We’ve unveiled hybrid-electric propulsion solutions for yachts and commercial vessels, and we’re currently testing Boat-to-Grid technology to explore the potential of enabling hybrid and electric vessel batteries to support the electrical grid.
Electromobility on land
We're advancing industrial electromobility with innovative power solutions for off-road machinery and developing intelligent systems that optimize energy efficiency.
HVO fuel (hydrotreated vegetable oil)
All engines manufactured from 2016 and onwards can run on HVO100. This renewable fuel works in both marine and industrial applications, and can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 90% compared to fossil-based diesel, depending on the feedstock and operating conditions.
Emission reduction technology
We are committed to minimizing the environmental impact of our products when in use. Our engines are engineered to comply with various emission standards without compromising on performance and efficiency.
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Questions & Answers
Since we’re part of the Volvo Group, we share their core values of quality, safety and environmental care. These values guide every decision we make and shape our work culture.
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