Additional Resources Save and Share California News New Report Finds Diesel Power Key To Success Of California Economy October 22, 2003 As California transitions to new leadership, a new report out today suggests that Governor Schwarzenegger should pay attention to diesel as a vital energy source that powers the California economy and could help fuel the state's... [more] Diesel Cars, Trucks And SUVs Part Of The Solution To Petroleum Reduction, Says California Study June 6, 2003 California legislators looking for ways to cut petroleum demand over the next 30 years and reduce transportation fuel price swings, will soon learn, probably to their surprise, that environmentally friendly diesel cars, trucks... [more] New Farm Bill Funds Now Available For Modernizing And Upgrading To Clean Diesel Technology October 10, 2002 A just-announced $700 million Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Bill program that underwrites the modernization of farm engines will be a tremendous boost in helping the nation's farmers and ranchers further protect our... [more] Displaying results 10 to 12 out of 16 < Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 Next >

 

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CARB Hosting Workshops To Discuss New Diesel Emissions Regulations

The California Air Resources Board has begun a series of workshops around the state to increase the dialogue over one of the most sweeping diesel emissions reduction programs ever planned. The proposed Statewide Diesel Truck and Bus Regulation would affect every on-road diesel vehicle in the state, including all of those on the road right now. It represents a shift of strategy by the state from regulating new vehicles to reducing the emissions of vehicles that met the emissions standards when they were originally sold.

Language in the proposed regulation allows for retrofitting of older models to bring emission levels down to the equivalent of 2007 model year engines by between 2010 and 2013. Under the proposed regulation, on-road diesel vehicles would be required to meet 2010 model year engine emissions by between 2017 and 2021. A CARB staff member at the Jan. 28 workshop in Sacramento admitted that the regulation is aimed primarily at forcing the replacement of older (pre-1994) model vehicle engines, as opposed to retrofitting with after treatment systems.

Excluded from the rule would be diesel pickups weighing less than 14,000 lbs., emergency response vehicles, military vehicles and private motor homes.

Workshops began Jan. 28 in Sacramento and are scheduled to continue through February in Southern California, the SF Bay Area and the San Joaquin Valley. The regulation would be phased in from 2010 to 2021. For a full list of workshops, click here.

Diesel Industry Applauds California's Funding of Truck Replacement/Retrofit

The Diesel Technology Forum applauded the California Air Resources Board's announcement targeting $25 million toward efforts to reduce diesel emissions in and around the state's ports and highway freight corridors.

"By investing this initial $25 million and focusing on the most cost-effective, quickest route to cleaner air, California will be able to maximize its investment in cleaning up the air while keeping vital freight moving," said Allen Schaeffer, executive director of DTF.

Click here to read the full text of the Forum's statement.

Idle Reduction Changes in California

Beginning January 1, 2008, sleeper berth vehicles will no longer be allowed to idle during periods of sleep and rest. In order to help drivers find information about available idle reduction technologies, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) has developed an online guide. Click here to view additional information.

Gale Banks Truck Sets Diesel Speed Record

History was made at the ACDelco NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) Las Vegas Nationals in October as a Gale Banks Engineering Chevrolet S-10 pickup truck blasted down the “Strip at Las Vegas” posting an elapsed time and a top speed that bettered every existing record for diesel-powered pickups. The Banks GM Duramax-powered “Sidewinder Type-D” twin-turbo hit 165.5 mph in the quarter-mile with an elapsed time of only 8.216 seconds. Among the vehicle's sponsors are fellow DTF members Robert Bosch LLC (electronics) and Honeywell (turbochargers). Gale Banks Engineering is based in Southern California.

Green Means Diesel at the LA Auto Show

The diesel news offered by auto makers at the Los Angeles Auto Show was one of the highlights of a decidedly “green” show. Ford CEO Alan Mulally gave the keynote address for the show’s media preview and reiterated that clean diesel technology is part of the company’s “sustainability plan” that “calls for adding more diesel engines to more products in more markets.” Read more of the show details here.

Diesels Return to California

Two automakers came to California in October 2007 to announce clean diesel’s imminent arrival in the state (and by extension all 50 states). Mercedes-Benz began leasing a limited number of E320 Bluetec models to Californians in October while Volkswagen announced both its VW and Audi brands would have TDI diesels on sale in the state in 2008. VW’s Jetta TDI will go on sale in the spring and the Audi Q7 SUV is expected to be available by the end of the year.

California Air Resources Board Acting Executive Director Tom Cackette welcomed the vehicles by reiterating that his agency is not “anti-diesel” and citing diesel’s contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the state’s transportation system. These models are the first of many expected to go on sale nationwide during 2008 and 2009.

CARB Adds to List of Climate Change Measures

The California Air Resources Board has added heavy-duty trucks and ocean-going vessels to the list of “early measures” to help meet the state's goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions some 25 percent by 2020 as required by the Global Warming Solutions Act (AB 32). The newly approved measures include:

• Port electrification: This measure would require docked ships to shut off auxiliary engines by plugging into shoreside electrical outlets. Already offered as a NOx and diesel PM reduction effort used at the ports of Long Beach/Los Angeles and Oakland, this project will also reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 500,000 metric tons every year, according to CARB.
• Smartway truck efficiency: Requires existing trucks and trailers to be retrofitted with devices that reduce aerodynamic drag, which CARB says would reduce 1.3 million metric ton reductions in greenhouse gas equivalents as well as reducing fuel consumption.

Diesel Generators Are Hidden Guardians of the 24-Hour Internet

In a story published this month, the San Francisco Chronicle uncovered a little-known fact about the Internet: one of the key tools to keeping the worldwide web humming 24/7 is backup generators running on diesel fuel.

The Internet is actually a series of hundreds of data center computers connected by fiber optic cable. The Internet information center, made up of 56 locations in the San Francisco Bay Area, is called SV3 and maintains five 2-megawatt diesel generators that stand ready to kick in if the outside power goes down, keeping the data stored on the servers and accessible to Internet users.

"Responding to power outages is not a very stressful situation thanks to reliable diesel generators,” said Derek Schlecht, the site engineer at SV3.

Funding to Help Increase Verified Retrofit Technologies for Construction Equipment

On October 5 the Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee (MSRC) allotted over $3.6 million in Clean Transportation Funding to showcase clean construction equipment technology and to help fleet operators comply with the new California Air Resources Board (ARB) regulations for off-road construction equipment. Furthermore, the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) is planning to add an additional $1.2 million to fully fund the program, for a total of more than $4.8 million. With the help of these funds, the MSRC’s Showcase Demonstration Project is seeking to verify 30 more emissions control technologies for heavy construction equipment. Click here to read more about this project.

Port Trucks Initiative Looks to Clean Diesel

A coalition of retailers, shippers and motor carriers announced a plan this month to build a fleet of low-emission trucks as part of efforts to cut air pollution in the nation's busiest seaports.

The coalition, headed by retail giant Target, is purchasing 100 trucks to haul containers in and around the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles. The trucks represent one of the first industry-led steps to replace and upgrade some 16,000 older diesel trucks serving the ports.

The trucks – 80 of which will be either new clean diesel rigs or retrofitted older diesels – are being bought with public grants and money from Target, NYK Line and Total Transportation Services Inc, a large local trucking company.

The coalition has the support of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster, who said the commitment by the grantors could serve as a model for future change in the harbor. The overall truck replacement program, outlined in the ports' recently drafted Clean Air Action Plan, seeks to restrict terminal access to trucks that meet 2007 or newer emissions standards by 2012.

California Adopts Diesel Retrofit Rule for Off-Road Equipment

On July 26 the California Air Resources Board adopted a regulation requiring construction companies in the state to reduce emissions from their existing diesel machinery by acquiring new equipment, replacing engines, or installing emissions control devices. The rule also applies to other off-road equipment such as airport ground service technology and snowcats. For more information: www.arb.ca.gov or San Francisco Chronicle.

California Highlights Clean Diesel’s CO2 Reduction Performance

The state of California is once again pointing to clean diesel technology’s energy efficiency as a climate change-fighting tool.  Policy recommendations for developing a low-carbon fuel standard – released Aug. 2 by a University of California research team – show diesel technology’s promise for delivering higher fuel economy in the state’s vehicle fleet. Researchers indicate that light-duty diesel vehicles produce 22 percent less CO2 than comparable gasoline vehicles, but that reduction may be negated somewhat by the projected increased use of heavy-duty diesel vehicles over the next decade.

Given the differences between heavy- and light-duty diesel vehicle fuel consumption, the report states, the two vehicle types should be separated when considering fuel standards, and that only light-duty vehicles should be viewed as being useful in fighting climate change.

As a result of the complications that would arise in trying to differentiate diesel fuel sales between heavy- and light-duty vehicles, the researchers recommend the California Air Resources Board regulate the carbon content of gasoline and allow credits for the increased use of light-duty diesel vehicles. To read the full report, click here.