Russia's RariTEK Holding plans to start supplying LNG-fueled harvesters in 2025

VOLGOGRAD. Nov 22 (Interfax) - JSC RariTEK Holding plans to start supplying liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered grain harvesters to farms in 2025, CEO Rafael Batyrshin told reporters.

"A harvester is [currently] being prepared for testing. We will hopefully make the first deliveries next year," Batyrshin said on the sidelines of the PromEnergoVolga 2024 industrial and energy forum in Volgograd.

According to RariTEK Holding's website, the first LNG-powered harvester was presented in 2024 at the St. Petersburg International Gas Forum. The harvester is based on the KZK-12A-1 model, with the new version featuring a gas engine and a 450-liter cryotank for storing LNG.

RariTEK Holding JSC is a trade and industrial association which manufactures and supplies natural gas-powered vehicles and spare parts, provides personnel training and maintenance services and develops gas refueling infrastructure.

Approximately 15,000 units of agricultural machinery currently operate on gas-powered fuel in Russia's agricultural sector. This number will increase, as operating costs for gas-powered machinery are 20% lower than diesel-powered equivalents, the Agriculture Ministry said. There is significant potential for converting tractors and grain-drying complexes to gas-powered fuel. A total of 4,300 grain dryers have been converted to gas this year.

According to Russian Agricultural Bank's estimates, the transition to gas-powered fuel could reduce domestic agricultural producers' fuel costs by 100 billion rubles annually.