Tug, Switcher Engine Upgrades Offer Most Cost-Effective Options
Clean diesel technology upgrades for large tug and switcher locomotive engines cost only $4,379 to $15,201 per ton of nitrogen oxides (NOx), compared to more than $30,000 per ton of NOx for many other diesel emission reduction projects. The Diesel Technology Forum (DTF) and the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) has released a report documenting the significant emission reduction benefits that can be gained by replacing older engines in tug boats and switcher locomotives with the latest clean diesel models.
Grieg Star & DNV’s Crane Collaboration
Saving money and the planet, it’s the Holy Grail for today’s cost and image conscious shipowners. Bearing that in mind, fellow open hatch cargo vessel operators should sit up and pay attention to the findings of a new research project conducted by Grieg Star, in partnership with DNV Research & Innovation, and supported by the Research Council of Norway. Grieg and DNV have been investigating the potential of hybrid battery/diesel solutions for powering onboard cargo cranes. In a unique simulation project…
Northwest Ports Grants for Environmental Program
The ports of Tacoma and Seattle, and the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency announced a combined match of $318k in additional funding for the Clean Air Agency’s Puget Sound Ports Cargo-Handling Equipment Replacement and Retrofit Program. This comes on top of $850k from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), for this new initiative that combines environmental stewardship efforts of several agencies. The funding supports the retrofit or replacement of 38 off-highway trucks, cranes and forklifts at the Port of Seattle, which is approximately 10 percent of its fleet. At the Port of Tacoma, 50 to 60 terminal tractors, cranes, off-highway trucks and general industrial equipment will be retrofitted. That’s about 14 percent of its fleet.
Diesel Forum Launches New Website
The Diesel Technology Forum today launched a new Web site focusing on clean diesel solutions to reduce emissions from existing diesel engines according to Forum Executive Director Allen Schaeffer. “This unique site is geared toward key stakeholders including trucking and transit bus fleet owners and operators, equipment operators, government officials, the media and general public,” stated Schaeffer. For nearly 18 months, the Diesel Technology Forum has been working with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and state and regional governments providing technical, policy and program support for these programs. EPA has established a campaign goal of retrofitting 100,000 existing diesel engines by January 1, 2002.
EPA Kicks Off Diesel Reduction Projects
At an event in Eugene recently, Michael O. Leavitt, Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency helped kick-off the Lane Regional Air Pollution Authority’s announcement of $1.475 million in diesel emission reductions investments for Oregon. The EPA is contributing $600,000 to these efforts. The projects will fund efforts to reduce emissions from idling trucks up and down Oregon’s I-5 corridor, retrofit school buses throughout the state, and improve accessibility and affordability of ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel. truck-idling reduction to school bus retrofits infrastructure to purchase, install and maintain small auxiliary engines that use up to 90 percent less diesel and emit 75 percent less air pollution than idling trucks.
