www.fueloilnews.com | FUEL OIL NEWS | OCTOBER 2015 11
PRESIDENT OBAMA'S CLIMATE
INITIATIVES TO BENEFIT
FROM MAJOR ADVANCEMENTS
IN CLEAN DIESEL TECHNOLOGY
AND FUEL
With President Obama's recent trip to
Alaska and the Arctic and emphasis on
increasing the United States' commitment
to reducing emissions and greenhouse
gases, it's important to highlight the gains
already accomplished with the increased
use of advanced clean diesel technology
and fuels, said Allen Schaeffer, the executive
director of the Diesel Technology Forum.
"A complete transformation of diesel
technology in the U.S. has taken place in
the last 15 years that has virtually eliminated
particulate (soot) emissions from new diesel
engines across the board," Schaeffer said.
"For example, emissions from heavy-duty
diesel trucks and buses have been reduced by
99% for nitrogen oxides (NOx)—an ozone
precursor—and 98% for particulate emis-
sions, which include black carbon.
"Today, clean diesel technology with
near zero emissions is standard equip-
ment in nearly all cars, trucks, off-road
diesel vehicles and equipment such as con-
struction equipment, agricultural vehicles,
stationary generators, locomotives and
marine vehicles."
President Obama has pledged the U.S.
will cut emissions by up to 28% by 2025.
Several nations this week proposed reducing
emissions of greenhouse gases, including
methane and of the soot, or black carbon,
from industry, automobiles and open fires.
Additional emission reduction initiatives
are expected to be proposed at the United
Nations summit in Paris this December.
"Because diesel power is the over-
whelmingly dominate source of moving
cargo both on land and sea, the benefits
from this new diesel technology will be vital
for the U.S. and international community
in reducing black carbon and greenhouse
gas emissions," Schaeffer said.
Schaeffer said that since 2000, the
leaders in clean diesel technology and the
EPA have worked cooperatively in estab-
lishing a regulatory pathway that brought
about the introduction of an entire new
generation of clean diesel engines for
both on- and off-road applications.
"No technology can match the role of
diesel engines and equipment today or in
the future. More than 90% of the world's
cargo is moved by diesel-powered engines.
In the U.S., over 95% of the heavy duty
trucks and more than two-thirds of all farm
machines and construction equipment are
powered by diesel. This is why the major
transformation to clean diesel technol-
ogy will have a significant global impact in
reducing greenhouse gas emissions."
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