Pricey Platinum Pushes the Price of Air Pollution Control Products Skyward

During Sunday’s CBS broadcast of 60 Minutes, veteran commentator Andy Rooney asked what was all the fuss concerning the recent astronomical rise in platinum prices. Rooney ranted “I don’t really know what platinum is. What do they do with platinum anyway?” When it comes to cleaning up air pollution, the answer is plenty.

Surprisingly, manufacturers of air pollution control products are the top consumers of platinum - not the jewelry industry. Platinum is the catalyst used inside of most catalytic converters and diesel particulate filters to rid exhaust emissions of dangerous soot, hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide. With ever-more stringent air quality regulations being enforced in the United States and Europe, the demand for platinum has soared with the demand to control air pollution in cars, diesel trucks, construction vehicles, and emergency generators.

A recent shutdown of South African mines caused an increase of 41% in platinum prices since the beginning of the year. As South Africa supplies 78 percent of the world’s supply of this precious metal, even a stoppage of a few days has a worldwide effect on prices.

To put this dramatic rise in perspective:
- On February 21st, platinum reached an all-time high of $2,185 a troy ounce
- During the same month a year ago, platinum averaged $1,207 a troy ounce
- Five years ago, it averaged $684 a troy ounce during February of 2003

With an estimated worldwide shortage of 400,000 troy ounces predicted for 2008, prices may remain a volatile rollercoaster.

What effect does escalating platinum prices have on the cost of reducing air pollution?

Manufacturers of air pollution control products are finding it increasingly more expensive to produce catalytic converters and particulate filters mandated by the EPA, the European Union and the California Air Resources Board. “We used to adjust our product prices twice per year according to the rise and fall of platinum prices,” said Technical Sales Engineer, Ralph Wintersberger of CleanAIR Systems, a manufacturer of diesel particulate filters and oxidation converters. “Now we have no choice but to keep a close eye on platinum fluctuations and make daily adjustments to our prices.”

In the end, the ever-increasing cost of cleaning up air pollution is passed on to the consumer:
- As the price of platinum rises, the price tag on cars and trucks will also increase to cover the cost of catalytic converters made with high-priced platinum.
- Hospitals, schools, and data centers will feel the brunt of escalating platinum prices when they install diesel particulate filters on their emergency backup generators to decrease toxic air pollution.
- Diesel school buses are being retrofitted all over the country with converters to protect children from dangerous pollutants – a direct cause of asthma, bronchitis and other lung impairments. High platinum prices translates into fewer buses being retrofitted for the safety of riders.
- Mining equipment and construction vehicles are equipped with air pollution control technology to decrease on-site emissions of particulate pollution. The increased cost of catalyzed filters is passed on to the public in the form of durable goods, new homes and taxes to cover building and transportation projects.

Yes, Andy Rooney – you may not know what platinum is used for, but you will eventually feel the pinch of unprecedented soaring platinum prices in your pocketbook.

Source:

CleanAIR Press Wire Blog

particulate filters

China Is #1 in World Power Generation

According to Industrial Infor Resources, China's output of power generation equipment in 2006 reached 110 million kilowatts, which is 18 million kilowatts more than the previous record of 92 million kilowatts established in 2005. This ranks China as the top producer of power in the world.

See the Source:
StreetInsider.com

current issues
energy

Dirty Trucks Must Clean Up Their Act in B.C.

British Columbia will become the first province in Canada to make diesel oxidation catalysts (DOCs) mandatory on older heavy-duty trucks. This means that nearly 8,000 trucks built between 1989 and 1993 must be retrofitted with special diesel filters by 2009. Newer EPA-mandated trucks built in 2002 as well as this year, virtually eliminate smog-inducing emissions like particulate matter and NOx.

The diesel trucks, says Canada's Environment Minister Barry Penner, are among the worst culprits on the road for emitting a disproportionate amount of particulate matter (PM), which is said to cause respiratory diseases.

“It will have an immediate and tangible benefit,” said Penner. “This will take up to 60 tons per year of particulate matter out of the air we breathe.”

The Canadian government estimates that one older diesel truck emits as much PM as 60 new trucks.

Catalysts to retrofit the vehicles will cost between $1,200 and $2,500 per truck, and are expected to reduce total emissions of PM by up to 3.4 percent and total emissions by nearly half, especially if the rigs use ultra low-sulfur diesel or bio-diesel blends.

Buses and construction equipment are exempt from the requirement for now. DOC retrofits are also planned for government vehicles such as ambulances and school buses.

The order won’t affect RVs, pickup trucks, construction equipment and unlicensed off-road vehicles.

See the Source:
Today’s Trucking Online

Find out:
More on diesel oxidation catalysts to reduce emissions on diesel heavy-duty trucks.

diesel retrofit
diesel retrofit

Rocky Mountain High – On VOCs

The Rocky Mountain Clean Air Action and the Natural Resources Defense Council have notified Kerr-McGee, who manager eleven natural gas compressors north of Denver, that they will be filing a lawsuit to reduce air pollution emissions produced by the company.

The compressors emit 2,200 tons of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and 400 tons of volatile organic compounds (VOC) annually. NOx and VOC pollutants react with sunlight to form smog, which has shown to have harmful health effects such as asthma attacks. During the summer of 2006, smog levels were 66 times higher than national standards. The Kerr-McGee compressors emitted the annual equivalent in NOx of about 115,000 cars driven 12,500 per year.

As of 2004, the State of Colorado required Kerr-McGee to install emissions control technology on its engines, which compress natural gas from 3,600 natural gas wells. However the company has not complied with the regulations and the violations have not be resolved.

"The state has required oil and gas companies to install basic air pollution control equipment to help keep smog in check and leave our children better protected," said Nick Persampieri with Earthjustice. "It's unfortunate that Kerr-McGee has failed to comply with the state's requirements."

By installing catalytic converters, Kerr-McGee could cut their VOC emissions by 75 percent.

See the Source:
Earthjustice

Find out:
About diesel catalytic converters for stationary engines

Excerpt from “Corning Outlines Growth Businesses”

Diesel Products

“We are expecting significant growth in our diesel products business in 2007, driven by our leadership position in the U.S. heavy-duty vehicle market and continued expansion into the light-duty business,” Thomas R. Hinman, senior vice president and general manager, Corning Diesel Technologies, will tell investors. “We believe we can grow our diesel products revenue by more than 60 percent this year and have the potential to realize $500 million to $600 million in revenue by 2010.”

Hinman will remind investors that new U.S. diesel engine standards that went into effect on January 1, 2007 require all heavy-duty engines to utilize a filter system solution that will greatly reduce particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions. “Global emissions regulations will continue to tighten and drive demand for our advanced diesel products solutions,” he will say.

“This is a milestone year as heavy duty represents the first significant growth opportunity for our diesel business," Hinman will point out. “We expect another wave of growth as the U.S., Europe and Japan implement more stringent emissions standards for light-duty and heavy-duty applications. Non-road vehicles represent a third revenue opportunity at the end of this decade. We believe Corning is well positioned to lead in all three areas,” he will tell investors.

“We expect the market opportunity could reach $900 million for each of the heavy-duty and light-duty diesel application segments by 2012. In looking at this on a projected product value basis, the global opportunity for heavy duty is expected to be approximately $340 per vehicle this year, and may reach as much as $475 per vehicle by 2012,” Hinman will add.

See the Source:

Corning

Find out:
How CleanAIR Systems uses Corning cordierite ceramic filters to reduce diesel emissions.

Railroad Industry's First Exhaust Catalyst Being Tested in Los Angeles

Omaha, Neb., January 17, 2007 – Union Pacific is beginning a year-long field test in the Los Angeles area of the rail industry’s first long-haul diesel electric locomotive modified with "after market" experimental technology aimed at reducing exhaust emissions.

"The testing and evaluation of this experimental exhaust technology emphasizes Union Pacific’s voluntary efforts to go beyond compliance in exploring new technologies that could reduce emissions," said Bob Grimaila, Union Pacific's vice president-environment and safety. "We have and will continue to work hard to build the most environmentally friendly locomotive fleet in North America and we are committed to protecting our environment by reducing emissions."

An experimental "oxidation catalyst" filtering canister, or "oxicat," was installed inside the diesel engine’s exhaust manifold. The special catalytic material chemically reduces the amount of unburned hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and particulate matter generated by the diesel engine, much like a catalytic converter on today’s cars and trucks.

The diesel engine has been outfitted with various sensors that can be remotely monitored with Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) technology. Remote "real-time" monitoring capabilities help researchers evaluate how the experimental oxidation catalyst is functioning. Its emissions performance and the maintenance requirements for the locomotive will be assessed at the end of the one-year test period.

The National Vehicle Fuels and Emissions Laboratory (NVFEL) of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, is funding most of the "oxidation catalyst" test.

The locomotive was subjected to EPA locomotive standards testing before and after the "oxidation catalyst" was installed, using standard EPA "locomotive certification" fuel and "ultra-low sulfur diesel" (ULSD) fuel that UP is now using for intrastate locomotives in California.

The standing, or static, test results were:
- Using ULSD fuel without the oxidation catalyst installed dropped particulate emissions by about 4 percent compared to the use of standard EPA diesel fuel.
- Using ULSD fuel with the oxidation catalyst installed reduced particulate emissions by approximately 50 percent, unburned hydrocarbons by 38 percent and carbon monoxide by 82 percent.

During this initial testing, the 17-year-old locomotive met the latest EPA "Tier 2" new locomotive requirements for particulate matter. The EPA’s Tier 2 requirements are for new locomotives manufactured since January 1, 2005.

Union Pacific has also begun a year-long field test in Oakland of the North America rail industry’s first experimental after-market exhaust system filter to determine if it will reduce diesel engine emissions in older locomotives used in rail yards.

Union Pacific’s "Green" Fleet
Currently, about 50 percent of Union Pacific’s more than 8,500-unit locomotive fleet is certified under existing EPA Tier 0, Tier 1 or Tier 2 regulations governing air emissions. That gives Union Pacific the most environmentally friendly locomotive fleet in the nation.

Union Pacific has tested, and is acquiring, two types of environmentally friendly low-horsepower rail yard locomotives:
- The Genset locomotive is powered by three 700-horsepower low-emissions EPA non-road Tier 3-certified diesel engines projected to reduce emissions of both nitrous oxides and particulate matter by up to 80 percent, while using as much as 16 percent less fuel compared to current low-horsepower locomotives.

- The Green Goat uses state-of-the-art diesel-battery hybrid-technology designed to cut air emissions by 80 percent and reduce diesel fuel use by 16 percent compared to conventional diesel-powered locomotives used in switching service. The hybrid switcher is powered with large banks of batteries. When energy stored in the batteries is depleted to a pre-set level, a small, low-emission diesel engine automatically starts to power a generator that recharges the batteries.

It is anticipated that these switching locomotives will receive California Air Resources Board (CARB) recognition as Ultra-Low Emitting Locomotives (ULEL), in addition to exceeding the EPA’s stringent Locomotive Tier 2 standards. These ULELs are a direct result of Union Pacific’s efforts to encourage development of ever-cleaner technology by its locomotive suppliers. The ultra-low emissions of these locomotives will help Union Pacific meet its commitment to CARB to reduce its fleet average nitrous oxide emissions inside the South Coast Nonattainment Area by 2010.

CARB Memorandum of Understanding
In addition to the emission reductions that the Tier 0, 1 and 2, Genset and Green Goat locomotives will achieve, a June 30, 2005, Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) among CARB, Union Pacific and BNSF Railway will further reduce diesel emissions in and around the state’s rail yards. The important agreement calls for reductions that will be greater and quicker than any that could have resulted from regulatory processes.

This was the second significant agreement of this type. The first one was signed in 1998 and covered nitrous oxide emissions (NOx) from locomotives. Under the first agreement, NOx levels from locomotives will be reduced by 67 percent in the South Coast Nonattainment Area. The June 2005 agreement represents the next logical step in the process and will reduce particulate matter emissions statewide.

CARB has estimated the MOU will reduce particulate emissions by approximately 20 percent at rail yards by June 2008 when all the program’s elements are phased in. Union Pacific expects to spend more than $20 million implementing the program.

About Union Pacific
Union Pacific Corporation owns one of America’s leading transportation companies. Its principal operating company, Union Pacific Railroad, links 23 states in the western two-thirds of the country and serves the fastest-growing U.S. population centers. Union Pacific’s diversified business mix includes Agricultural Products, Automotive, Chemicals, Energy, Industrial Products and Intermodal. The railroad offers competitive long-haul routes from all major West Coast and Gulf Coast ports to eastern gateways. Union Pacific connects with Canada’s rail systems and is the only railroad serving all six major gateways to Mexico, making it North America’s premier rail franchise.

The statements and information contained in the news releases provided by Union Pacific speak only as of the date issued. Such information by its nature may become outdated, and investors should not assume that the statements and information contained in Union Pacific's news releases remain current after the date issued. Union Pacific makes no commitment, and disclaims any duty, to update any of this information.

See the Source:
Union Pacific

Find out:
More about diesel oxidation catalysts and how they reduce carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and particulate.