SEPTEMBER 2024AUTOTECHOUTLOOK.COM8IN MY OPINIONFew of us would disagree that greenhouse gases (GHGs) have a measurable, negative effect on our biosphere, and there is urgency in addressing this. Number one on the list is CO2, which, according to the EPA, comprises more than 75 percent of U.S. GHGs. The combustion of fossil fuels is the largest source of CO2 emissions. According to the Visual Capitalist, CO2 emission sources in the U.S. are roughly divided into quarters: transportation, electricity, industry, and other (including agriculture and residential).The pervasive use of fossil fuels has made policymakers challenge the science and engineering communities to address our base energy supply.This article discusses powering transportation and its impact on GHGs (25 percent of U.S. CO2 emissions). Of this sector, 58 percent is light-duty, and all but approximately 8 percent (aviation) are traditionally motivated by Internal Combustion Engines (ICE).Last year in August, the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act, which heavily incentivizes battery-powered transportation, was signed into law. Battery technology primarily targets light-duty vehicles, the 58 percentile of GHG emissions mentioned above, yet batteries are not applicable when higher power and rapid energy reconstitution are demanded (the remaining 34%). Agriculture equipment, semi-trucks, and heavy construction equipment are such examples. In these sectors, batteries won't work because the power demand is high; today's batteries expend energy rapidly, and energy reconstitution is relatively slow. These hard-to-abate sectors, by necessity, require alternate means of power and fueling options. Vehicular energy demand and reconstitution dictate the application of select energy sources for America's heavy-duty vehicles.This subject of powering commercial trucks and off-highway transportation is publicly debated, and regulations are being promulgated from Washington as you read this article. The Final Renewable Fuels Standards Rule was released on June 21, action from the EPA on the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act is expected in August, and the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards for Heavy-Duty Vehicles ­ Phase 3 will likely be released before the end of 2023. All these compliance laws and regulations target the U.S. working-class vehicle fleet. No doubt, the impact of this legislative salvo extends beyond heavy-duty vehicles with notable implications for our nation's GDP.This blue-collar vehicle sector has been termed "hard to abate"because of the concerns over making power with minimal GHG emissions. One can imagine how the alphabet soup of compliance laws creates a difficult business environment where OEM strategies are difficult to maintain, and flexibility must be exercised. In other words, capital must be metered, portfolios diverse and investors a bit twitchy.Success in developing engines for these blue-collar applications is about customer satisfaction while complying with U.S. GHG legislation. Furthermore, if batteries are not applicable for this hard-to-abate sector today, then the two remaining viable energy sources are the fuel cell and the ICE. The right power mix for these sectors is critical to business. While OEM strategies are normally cloaked in secrecy, we can gain insight into how development is evolving from the public comments from two notable engine/vehicle producers, namely Cummins Inc. and JCB Inc. Jim Nebergall, General Manager of the Hydrogen Engine Business at Cummins Inc., stated last year, "Hydrogen engines and hydrogen fuel cells offer complementary use cases. Internal combustion engines tend to be most efficient under high load--that is when they work harder. In contrast, Fuel Cell vehicles (FCEVs) are most efficient at lower loads."In a May 2023 article by Guy Youngs and published by OEM Off-Highway, Youngs references JCB's experience. POWERING THEBLUE-COLLAR VEHICLEBy Troy Kantola, Director of Product Engineering, Plymouth & Ann Arbor Technical Centers, Tenneco Troy Kantola
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