The Diesel Technology Forum (DTF) and the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) released a report highlighting the emission reduction benefits that can be offered by replacing older engines in tug boats and switcher locomotives with the latest clean diesel models.
The joint research estimates that replacing older engines in a typical tug boat with the latest clean diesel model that meets the latest emissions milestones can reduce on average 14.9 tons of NOx emissions per year. A similar activity for switchers can reduce NOx emissions by 9.0 tons per year.
[smlsubform prepend=”GET THE SAFETY4SEA IN YOUR INBOX!” showname=false emailtxt=”” emailholder=”Enter your email address” showsubmit=true submittxt=”Submit” jsthanks=false thankyou=”Thank you for subscribing to our mailing list”]
Clean diesel technology 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.
DTF and EDF’s research notes that replacing tugboat engines with clean diesel technology costs on average $4,379 per ton of NOx eliminated, while upgrading a switcher engine costs $15,201 per ton.
sDr. Elena Craft, EDF Senior Health Scientist, mentioned:
Many tugs and switchers operate in ports that fail to meet federal health-based air quality standards. Repowering older tug and switcher engines can deliver cleaner, healthier air faster to at-risk communities near ports. These new engines also help reduce carbon dioxide emissions and black carbon, two important climate pollutants.
Starting in 2015, clean diesel engines used in marine applications and switcher locomotives in the US were required to comply with Tier 4 emissions standards. The latest clean diesel technologies can reduce emissions, including NOx and fine particle emissions (PM2.5), by 88% to 95%. While the latest clean diesel technologies are available to reduce emissions, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that by 2020, only 5%t of the switch locomotive and 3% of the marine workboat fleets will be powered by these clean technologies.
Allen Schaeffer, DTF Executive Director, stated:
Right now, state governments have an opportunity to get more of these clean technologies out in the field to deliver immediate emission reductions for communities near port operations. Policymakers looking to reduce emissions quickly for communities near ports and rail lines should consider these highly cost-effective clean diesel solutions.
For more information, click on the PDF herebelow