Rolls-Royce has opened the doors to a new €30 million combustion engine assembly plant in Kluftern on Lake Constance, Germany, for production of its mtu 2000 series engines.
The company said the facility, first announced in 2021, underscores the “continuing role that the internal combustion engine is set to play in the energy transition through the use of sustainable fuels” and has been designed to be energy efficient and climate friendly.
For example, it noted, a 1.2 MW-peak photovoltaic system will provide green electricity to the plant, and e-charging columns will ensure clean mobility solutions. An intelligent building control system alongside other equipment measures will ensure energy-efficient operation.
“With this investment, Rolls-Royce is underlining its commitment to the Power Systems site in Friedrichshafen,” Rolls-Royce said.
The facility also creates space for assembly and shipping. The assembly of mtu Series 2000 engines will be relocated to Kluftern, enabling the modernization of the existing assembly halls in Rolls-Royce’s Plant 2 in Friedrichshafen, which will provide long-term production space for the Series 4000 engine.
“Our investments are a clear commitment to the region and to our products and solutions, which are important building blocks of the energy transition in various application areas,” said CEO Jörg Stratmann.
“We are convinced that, in conjunction with sustainable fuels and new technologies, the internal combustion engine will play a central role in the future. Because it’s the fuel that matters, not the engine.”
Rolls-Royce’s focus has been to develop engines that can run on a wide range of sustainable fuels, replacing fossil fuels and significantly reducing carbon dioxide emissions. It has already launched hybrid systems for rail, shipping and energy, as well as intelligent automation systems.
“This will enable us to provide climate-friendly propulsion technologies in the future for applications from commercial ships, yachts, land and rail vehicles to energy systems where complete electrification is not an optimal solution in the long-term,” the company said.
It especially has been working with renewable diesel, such as HVO/hydrogenated vegetable oil; many mtu engines from Rolls-Royce have already been released for use with this sustainable fuel. HVO enables up to 90% CO2 reduction as well as reducing particulate and nitrogen oxide emissions.
“We are doing everything we can to make the internal combustion engine climate-neutral with sustainable fuels and in combination with new technologies,” added Stratmann. “But this can only be achieved if the political framework conditions are set so that alternative fuels can be successfully ramped up.”
Publicly held Rolls-Royce Holdings is headquartered in Friedrichshafen in southern Germany. In addition to mining, its product portfolio includes mtu-brand high-speed engines and propulsion systems for ships, power generation, heavy land, rail and defense vehicles and for the oil and gas industry as well as diesel and gas systems and battery containers for mission-critical, standby and continuous power.
Source: Rolls-Royce