Coming to a pump near you: clean diesel

[DoYouEverWonder]

6/4/2006

For as long as people have cared what wafts from vehicle tailpipes, diesel motors have had the rap as the dirtiest, smelliest, noisiest engines on the road. That could soon change.

In a move that may presage diesel's Cinderella-like transformation, the Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday required U.S. refineries to begin making ultra-low-sulfur diesel (ULSD), a fuel with 97% less sulfur than ordinary diesel that, as a result, slashes soot emissions.

The rule, which mandates that 80% of the diesel produced for highway use be ULSD-compliant, was just the first step. By Oct. 15, all filling stations now selling diesel will be required to sell ULSD instead of or in addition to diesel.

All who drive diesel vehicles — which account for only about 3% of sales of light-duty vehicles — will immediately emit about 10% less pollution upon shifting to ULSD. But the biggest pollution abatement — as much as 90% cleaner — will come with the EPA-mandated debut of "clean diesel" engines, probably late next year or early in 2008.

That moment, say environmentalists, is the transformation everyone is waiting for.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-06-04-clean-diesel_x.htm?csp=34

[NNadir]

1. The carbon dioxide goes where?

[Dead_Parrot]

2. Shhh... nt

[greenman3610]

3. if it's biodiesel

it makes no net change in the biosphere
CO2

[NNadir]

4. It's not biodiesel. And biodiesel is not free either from CO2

implications.

It's just not as bad.

[Briarius]

7. true, it's not CO2 free

but it's also not releasing trapped CO2 like dino-diesel does. It's carbon that was recently in the cycle, not the deep trapped stuff.

[LostinVA]

14. I use the B100 stuff this time of year

And LOVE flicking my chin at the oilmen....

[NNadir]

18. True. It's got zero sulfur and produces lower particulates. Higher NOx

though.

Overall, it's good stuff.

It's of limited potential though.

[Psephos]

5. Last time I checked, sulfur is not the main constituent of soot

Soot is particulate carbon that carries lesser amounts of aromatic hydrocarbons. Not so bad for greenhouse emissions, but definitely not good for breathing.

The sulfur reductions are very important, but not for the reasons this lightweight article avers.

Peace.

[Cleita]

17. I lived in a remote copper mine in SA that mined sulfur along

with the copper. The processing of the sulfur created smog so awful it rivaled Los Angeles in the sixties. This was in a place with very little auto traffic. Even the police patrolled on horses, so sulfur I think is the worst product of air pollution that I have seen IMHO.

[truthisfreedom]

6. less smoky, less stinky? i'm happy about less stinky.

stinky diesel sucks in a convertible behind a bus.

[AndyTiedye]

16. Suck Even More of It (Cough) Riding a Bike

I assume that the clean(er) diesel engines reduce the carbon emissions
while the clean(er) fuel reduces the sulphur.

There needs to be smog/emissions testing on diesel vehicles.

You can build them clean, but they won't stay clean unless properly maintained.

Do any states have emissions testing on diesels?

[Odin2005]

8. Clean [insert fossil fuel] is an oxymoron!

[DoYouEverWonder]

11. The point is that it is cleaner

then the diesel fuel that is currently sold in this country. Which is why the Europeans have more options then we do when it comes to diesel cars. The fuel we pump hasn't been clean enough to use in most of diesel cars that are currently being sold in Europe. So this change will be beneficial for all of us, even if we don't personally drive a diesel.

[roody]

9. I'm looking forward to the diesel electric hybrid vehicle.

Fueled with biodiesel or better.

[ihelpu2see]

13. I agree!! nt My wifes Grand-Caravan is at 115K and will need replacing in

1-2 years and we will need a similar sized car and I would love a BioD Hybrid. I currently run my Golf TDi on 50% Bio Diesel.

[LostinVA]

15. I love my Golf TDI -- I'm getting just about 50 mpg

I'm able to get some B100 for this time of year -- yay!

[lindisfarne]

10. It's low sulfur but not low nitrogen oxide (smog) (at least, the article

doesn't mention this). Getting rid of the soot is nice as it can also have some nasty health effects, but it's not a huge improvement; maybe the 2008 "clean diesel" engine will address this?

http://www.sierraclub.org/cleanair/factsheets/diesel.asp
"The nitrogen oxide emitted by diesel engines plays a large role in the formation of ground-level ozone, commonly referred to as smog. Smog is formed when nitrogen oxide reacts with volatile organic compounds and sunlight to become a colorless, odorless gas. Because sunlight is required in the production of smog, smog levels are at their highest in the summer months and in states with warm weather. It is estimated that more than 100 million Americans continue to breathe air that doesn't meet health-based smog standards.

When inhaled, smog causes a burning of the cell wall of the lungs and air passages. This eventually decrease the elasticity of the lungs, making them more susceptible to infections and injury and causing asthma attacks and other respiratory illnesses. This danger is present for anyone who inhales smog, although children, elderly, and those with respiratory problems are at a higher risk of developing health problems associated with smog pollution. Children take in more air for their body weights than adults, and their bodies are still developing, putting them at higher risk from air pollutants. A UCLA School of Medicine study found that over time, repeated exposure smog and other air pollutants can cause as much damage to the lungs as smoking a pack of cigarettes a day. In addition, a recent Abt Associates study found that high smog levels in the eastern US cause 159,000 trips to the emergency room, 53,000 hospital admissions, and six million asthma attacks each summer."

[dipsydoodle]

12. Already low sulphur in the Europe.

and also contains biodiesel. That fact is regarded as being a contributor to reduced global dimming north of the equator over Africa. If you want example fuel figures my Honda CRV 2.2 cdti Sport does just over 45mpg to an imperial gallon. Onboard computer has figured that across last 5000 miles. Engine is as quiet as a petrol engine and no it doesn't chuck a load of smoke out of the exhaust.

If you clean your air up enough your daytime temps will increase by about one degree due to increased sunlight reaching the ground - the 2 days following 9/11 proved that with no planes in the sky.