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Senate Panel Hears the Benefits of New Clean Diesel
Green Technology Featured Articles
September 30, 2013

Senate Panel Hears the Benefits of New Clean Diesel

By Michael Guta
TMCnet Contributing Writer

The energy content in diesel fuel is much higher than other types of fuels, allowing it to provide more miles per gallon. The vast majority of transportation companies use diesel fuel for that very same reason, but the environmental and health impact is extremely dangerous. The danger comes from sulfur in the fuel, which is why the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been promoting the National Clean Diesel Campaign (NCDC) as part of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to promote new technologies. To determine the progress of this technology, the U.S. Senate held a hearing on the role of new clean diesel technology in lowering black carbon emissions.


Titled, "Black Carbon—A Global Health Problem with Low-Cost Solutions," the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety heard from the Diesel Technology Forum (DTF) regarding the benefits this new fuel has introduced in the transportation, construction, agriculture, and other industrial sectors.

With close to 8 percent of global black carbon emissions coming from the United States, the initiatives put in place to lower the amount have been very successful. The EPA projects it will decrease the amount of black carbon emitted by diesel engines in the United States by 86 percent by 2030. This is largely attributed to controls on new diesel engines, which may mitigate the contribution of the U.S. toward global warming by 15 percent.

The DTF also highlighted the importance of continued funding for diesel emission reduction programs designed for vehicles with older engines still crisscrossing the nation. Because these vehicles have a lifespan of up to 30 years, the success of the program can only be measured if the implementation of cleaning up diesel fuel also includes these vehicles.

The panel heard the efforts of the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA), which was enacted to address emission reductions from existing engines and equipment to meet national ambient air quality standards. The implementation of DERA has resulted in reducing more than 12,000 tons of particulate matter emissions and over 200,000 tons of NOx between 2008 and 2010.

"While new clean diesel technology has dramatically reduced diesel emissions to near zero for newer engines and equipment, proven programs that help reduce emissions from existing engines and equipment, programs like DERA and funding through the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ) are a key means to reduce particulate emissions from older existing diesel engines," testified Allen Schaeffer, executive director of Diesel Technology Forum.

According to Schaeffer, diesel engines power more than 90 percent of commercial trucks, more than three-fourths of all transit buses, 100 percent of freight locomotives, marine work boats and two-thirds of all farm and construction equipment in the U.S. and global economy.





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