Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/333461
18 www.studentdriverplacement.com July '14 A s California policymakers and en- vironmental regulators work to balance air quality and climate ƉƌŽƚĞĐƟŽŶƉůĂŶŶŝŶŐ͕ĂŶĞǁƐƚƵĚLJĐŽŵͲ missioned by Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) suggests that heavy-du- ty engines powered by natural gas can provide a viable "pathway" that can simultaneously help the state achieve ƉŽůůƵƟŽŶĞŵŝƐƐŝŽŶĂŶĚŐƌĞĞŶŚŽƵƐĞŐĂƐ ;','ͿƌĞĚƵĐƟŽŶƚĂƌŐĞƚƐ͘ The peer-reviewed "Pathways to Near- Zero-Emission Natural Gas Heavy Duty Vehicles" report calls on California policy makers to enact policies and programs to encourage the development and com- mercialization of these ultra-low-emission motor vehicle technologies. The report was prepared by Gladstein, Neandross & $VVRFLDWHVDOHDGLQJFRQVXOWLQJÀUPZLWK expertise in alternative transportation fu- els and technologies. Notably, the authors found "technology forcing" requirements, which direct manu- facturers to phase-in sales of battery-elec- WULFYHKLFOHVRUODUJHWUDQVLWÁHHWVWREX\ zero-emission buses, have not resulted in the commercialization of zero-tailpipe emission vehicles as quickly as air quality regulators hoped or planned. ´7KLVVWXG\·VÀQGLQJVDOLJQZLWKZKDW the transportation industry marketplace is already demonstrating through increas- ing adoption of ultra-low emission natural gas-powered heavy-duty engines in truck- ing, shipping and public transportation such as buses and sanitation trucks," said Rodger Schwecke, vice president of cus- tomer solutions for SoCalGas. By contrast, zero emission vehicle mandates spurred tremendous innovation by manufacturers of internal combustion engines, emission control equipment, and advanced vehicle drive trains, resulting in VLJQLÀFDQWO\LQFUHDVHGRSWLRQVDYDLODEOH WRSROLF\PDNHUVWRPHHWWKHVWDWH·VDLU quality and GHG reduction goals. "Many state planning documents rely exclusively on electric vehicle technol- ogy that may not be viable in heavy-duty applications and we hope the study will HQFRXUDJH&DOLIRUQLD·VSROLF\PDNHUVWR implement policies to support the devel- RSPHQWRIRWKHUYLDEOH¶SDWKZD\·WHFKQRO ogies to help meet environmental goals in the near-term," added Schwecke. Heavy-duty vehicles fueled by natural gas are recognized by the California Air Resources Board (ARB) as a method of UHGXFLQJ*+*HPLVVLRQV7RGD\·VFRP mercially available natural gas engines already emit nitrogen oxides (NOx) at lev- els well below the current (2010) federal heavy-duty engine standard. |Tomorrow's Trucks | ƤǦ ǡ