2. SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
GREEN TRUCKS
Left:
Willie Nelson
offers his own
brand of
clean-burning
biodiesel.
use of advanced emis- 11 million engines in use today. Fortunately, the same
sions-control devices like clean diesel technologies that will power the next
oxidation catalysts and generation of on- and off-road diesel vehicles and equip-
particulate traps, which work ment can be applied to some older engines, reducing
well with ULSD but suffer emissions by up to 90%.
drastically reduced operating
lifetimes with high sulfur fuel. BEHOLD THE 21ST-CENTURY TRUCK
“We look at it as the clean diesel The 21st-Century Truck Program, inaugurated in 2000,
system really coming together,” says Allen is a multi-agency and industry partnership aimed at
Schaeffer, executive director of the Diesel Technology increasing fuel efficiency, reducing emissions, enhancing
Forum, an industry organization based in Frederick, safety, reducing ownership and operating costs, and
Md. “The cleaner fuels, the advanced engines, and the maintaining or enhancing performance. Government
emissions control systems are three pieces being participants include the EPA, Department of Energy,
optimized that, working together, really chart the course Department of Transportation, and Department of
for the next generation of clean diesel technology.” Defense, which highlights common civilian and military
Schaeffer adds that major milestones coming up truck technology goals as well as the potential transfer
for heavy-duty highway commercial vehicles in 2007 of military and civilian technologies.
should bring greater than a 98% reduction in emissions A key element is the program’s “roadmap.” This
of nitrogen oxides and particulate matter compared to plan establishes technical targets and fuel efficiency
10 or 15 years ago, with an additional 90% reduction goals, for 2010 and beyond, that seek to substantially
between 2007 and 9/12/05 6:20:55 PM
NBB_Ad2a.pdf 2010. increase truck fuel economy while meeting prevailing
New EPA regulations do not affect the approximately emission standards and also displacing petroleum fuels
by 5%. The program includes heavy-duty hybrids along
with its focus on diesel and renewable fuels.
UNITED IN A COMMON GOAL
An example of this focus on fuel efficiency is provided
by International and Eaton Corp., which were recently
selected to manufacture diesel-electric hybrid trucks
for a national pilot program serving the utility industry.
The two companies are developing an integrated diesel-
hybrid powertrain that will be tested in at least 20
factory-built International utility trucks, using an Inter-
national DT 466 in-line six-cylinder diesel engine with
an Eaton hybrid-electric drivetrain. WestStart, which
operates its Hybrid Truck Users Forum, will be admin-
istering the pilot program with the support of the U.S.
Army’s National Automotive Center.
Bringing advanced hybrid-truck technology to
customers is also an area of focus at UQM Technolo-
gies Inc., in Frederick, Colo., a manufacturer of small,
lightweight, and efficient motors, generators, and
power electronic controllers. Applications range from
electrically intensive series hybrids, in which all power
to the wheels is provided by electric motors, to lower-
power parallel (mild) hybrids in which the engine and
electric motor both provide power to the wheels. UQM
systems are under evaluation in tractors, trucks, buses,
and on- and off-highway military vehicles such as the
U.S. military’s Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTVs),
plus manned and unmanned vehicle applications.
3. SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
GREEN TRUCKS
These advantages have attracted
customers ranging from Deere
& Co., Stewart & Stevenson, and
Eaton to the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine
Corps, and Air Force.
UQM Technologies is additionally
developing innovative ways to help
engine and vehicle manufacturers
meet 2010 diesel emission stan-
We’re driving toward
dards through improved auxiliary
systems that eliminate parasitic
loads on engines – an area of focus a cleaner future.
of the 21st-Century Truck Roadmap.
By replacing belted, geared, and
hydraulic driven water pumps, oil
and fuel pumps, fan drives, and
air conditioning with electrically
driven units, electric auxiliaries can
operate as needed, independent of
any power supplied by the engine.
This approach provides increased
fuel efficiency and reduced engine
Pacific Gas and Electric Company is dedicated to
load over conventional systems that
developing low-cost, clean air transportation technologies
operate continuously when directly
connected to an engine. for our business and yours. Since rolling out
our first natural gas truck in 1985, we’ve expanded our
Below: The military is evaluating advanced fleet to include over 850 low-emission vehicles.
hybrid truck technology for its FMTVs.
We’ve also formed partnerships with manufacturers,
government organizations, and private
companies, creating a nationwide network
of over 500 fleets, operating thousands of
natural gas vehicles. Through continued
support of cost-effective technological advancements
and environmental education, we’re proving to our
customers and employees that clean air transportation
is not only good for the environment, it’s good for business.
If you’d like to learn more about clean transportation technologies,
visit our website at www.pge.com/cleanair or call 1-800-684-4648.
ANOTHER WAY THE PEOPLE OF PG&E ARE DEDICATED TO ENERGY CONSERVATION.
IMAGINE THE POSSIBILITIES
Diesel fuel is the trucking industry’s
fuel of choice for many reasons,
primary among them its widespread
availability. However, there are
markets where alternative fuels
could become popular, especially
where fleets always operate on the
same route and regularly refuel at
the same locations. Other possibili-
ties include dual-fuel vehicles that
can operate on an alternative fuel
when available and conventional
diesel fuel when it is not, or alterna-
4. SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
GREEN TRUCKS
tive fuels that can be seamlessly 850 natural gas vehicles in its own
POWERING TOMORROW’S substituted for diesel fuel. fleet, including gas service trucks,
VEHICLES, TODAY Biodiesel falls into the latter cat- meter reader vehicles, and pool cars.
egory. An alternative fuel that can Providing alternative fuels with the
UQM Technologies Inc. (AMEX:
be made from any fat or vegetable opportunity to compete has long been
UQM) is a recognized technol- oil, typically domestically grown soy- a focus at San Francisco-based PG&E.
ogy leader in the development beans, biodiesel works in any diesel The utility’s support of its customers’
and manufacture of high- engine with few or no modifications. use of green technologies has brought
performance, power-dense, It can be used in pure form or blended many success stories, among them
with petroleum diesel at any level, 26 compressed natural-gas refuse
and energy-efficient elec-
the most popular fuel mixtures being trucks operating in Sunnyvale, Calif.
tric motors, generators, and B2 (2% biodiesel and 98% conven- On a larger scale, hundreds of natural
power electronic controllers. tional diesel), or B20 (20% biodiesel).
Applications include electric In addition to its growing popularity for
use in passenger vehicles, biodiesel is
propulsion systems for hybrid,
used by more than 500 major com-
battery-electric, and fuel-cell mercial fleets across the country.
vehicles, plus 42-volt under- More than 500 retail filling stations
the-hood power accessories make biodiesel available to the public,
and vehicle auxiliaries for and some 1,400 petroleum distributors
carry it nationwide.
greater efficiency. For 25 years,
The use of biodiesel yields numer-
customers from major auto- ous environmental benefits, including
makers to the U.S. military have significant reductions in carbon mon-
benefited from “UQM Inside.” oxide emissions, particulate matter,
See us at www.uqm.com. unburned hydrocarbons, and sulfates.
On a lifecycle basis, biodiesel reduces
carbon dioxide by 78% compared to
Above: PG&E has a fleet of 850
petroleum diesel. natural-gas vehicles.
According to the National Biodiesel
WESTSTART-CALSTART Board, a nonprofit trade association, gas trucks are in operation with Waste
in Jefferson City, Mo., dedicated to Management Inc., California’s leading
is North America’s leading coordinating the biodiesel industry and provider of solid waste and recycling
advanced transportation educating the public about the fuel, services. Starting with one of the first
technologies organization. this makes biodiesel the most effective pilot projects in 1995, Waste Manage-
As a participant-supported greenhouse gas-mitigation technol- ment’s fleet of natural gas vehicles has
ogy currently available for heavy-duty grown to 462 trucks running on com-
non-profit of more than 115
vehicles and equipment. Biodiesel’s pressed and liquefied natural gas.
companies and agencies, it inclusion in the landmark Energy Bill Looking to the future, PG&E will contin-
is dedicated to expanding recently signed into law shows recogni- ue its focus on green technologies while
and supporting a high-tech tion by Congress and President Bush working with its customers and govern-
transportation industry that biodiesel is an important part of ment agencies to advance its vision of
the solution for reducing dependence clean natural-gas vehicles as part of
that cleans the air, creates
on foreign oil, boosting the economy, the solution to air quality challenges.
jobs, and improves energy and benefiting the environment. “The state has been making good
efficiency, while lessening progress to improve air quality, but cur-
dependence on foreign oil WALKING THE WALK rent policy ignores growing concerns
about petroleum dependency,” says
and reducing global warming. Another popular alternative fuel that’s
been a focus of private, public, and Brian Stokes, manager of the clean air
It plays a national role facili- transportation division at PG&E. “The
government fleets at all levels for
tating advanced systems and legislature has approved $150 million
years is clean-burning natural gas.
fuels for transit and heavy- One of the largest privately owned a year in incentive programs to facilitate
duty vehicles, and new fleets in the country is found at Pacific fleet emission-lowering conversions and
Gas and Electric Co., which has been new cleaner vehicle purchases. How-
forms of mobility.
operating alternative fuel vehicles ever, most of these funds are going to
Visit www.weststart.org. diesel retrofits and re-powers because
since 1985 and now has more than
5. SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
GREEN TRUCKS
the incentive program criteria are based on current
cost effectiveness. Unfortunately, improving petroleum
product performance by itself is only part of the solu-
tion, and we will never get to a diversified portfolio of
fuels with this strategy. The criteria need to be adjusted
to give emerging alternative fuels – that have the
potential of achieving cost-effectiveness with near-term
subsidies – a chance to compete.”
THE MORE THINGS CHANGE…
“Even with the advanced technology that lies on the
horizon for fuel cells and hydrogen vehicles, there’s
always going to be a vital role for diesel technology,”
says the Diesel Technology Forum’s Schaeffer.
“When we examine the reasons why people are
using diesel today, we find they’re the very same
reasons why people used diesel many decades ago.”
According to Schaeffer, it’s really the whole package
– a unique combination of fuel efficiency, perfor-
mance, and unmatched power density that’s able to
deliver more horsepower and more force to get the
job done using the lowest amount of fuel possible.
Indeed, all technologies and fuels that make
trucks operate cleaner and more efficiently – from
advanced diesel and biodiesel to hybrid-electric and
natural gas – are increasingly important to not only
the bottom line, but energy security and our quality
of life. It’s a challenge that is being well met by com-
panies large and small in a dedicated effort to bring
trucks and fuels into a new era.
WEB DIRECTORY
Diesel Technology Forum Pacific Gas and
http://www.dieselforum.org Electric Co.
International Truck and http://www.pge.com
Engine Corp. UQM Technologies Inc.
http://www.internationaldelivers.com http://www.uqm.com
National Biodiesel Board WestStart–CALSTART Inc.
http://www.biodiesel.org http://www.calstart.org
Produced by Custom Publishing Group, www.custpub.com
Written by Ron Cogan, www.greencar.com
Designed by Segal Savad, www.segalsavad.com
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Stacy Sass McAnulty, Director, Worldwide Special Advertising Sections,
at: stacy_sass-mcanulty@businessweek.com
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