The project ran between June 2023 and November 2025.
The project has successfully created and tested an eco-friendly, water-soluble lubricating grease made from glycerol, a renewable raw material. The technology has moved from early lab-stage testing (TRL 3) to a level close to market readiness (TRL 7) through careful recipe optimization, lab and component tests, long-term field trials, and scaled-up production.
The grease has been proven in real machines like wheel loaders, forest harvesters, and hydropower equipment, showing reliable performance, low friction, and high user satisfaction—especially because it’s easy to clean and gentle on the skin. The project also developed a scalable production process and started work on a next-generation glycerol-based grease designed for high pressure and higher temperatures.
Overall, this work lays a solid foundation for bringing environmentally friendly lubricants to the market and reducing the use of petroleum-based products in sensitive environments.
Participants
Luleå Univerity of Technology (LTU), Sustainalube AB, SKF Sverige AB, ASSALUB AB, Energifabriken i Sverige AB, Danfoss A/S and Barrsäter Skog AB.
Budget
The project’s total budget was 12 MSEK.