On April 3, 2015 California’s Air Resources Board (ARB) released a draft Heavy-Duty Technology and Fuels Assessment report for public comment. The report details ARB’s strategy to reduce criteria pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions from heavy-duty vehicles, to meet California’s long-term emission targets.

California needs a 90 percent reduction in NOx emissions by 2031, and an 80 percent reduction in GHG emissions below 1990 levels by 2050 to meet air quality and climate targets. Significant improvements in efficiency and the use of renewable fuels are also needed to meet the Governor’s 50 percent petroleum reduction target by 2030. Achieving each of these goals will require a transition to zero and near-zero emission technologies in all mobile sources.

The Draft Overview highlights technology and fuels that could help California achieve those goals, and covers several heavy-duty technology sectors, including:

• trucks and buses
• transport refrigeration units
• locomotives
• fuels – both conventional and alternative fuels
• ocean-going vessels
• commercial harbor craft (SCAQMD lead)
• cargo handling equipment, and
• aviation – including aircraft and ground support equipment

The Draft Overview is now posted. More detailed draft assessments for each of the sectors listed above will be posted in 2015, as the drafts are completed. The draft sector reports will evaluate how each technology works, the fuels necessary to power each technology, as well as its state of market readiness, costs, environmental benefits, technology performance, and current deployment challenges.

Additional background information on ARB’s Heavy Duty Technology and Fuels Assessment effort can be
found here.

What this means to you
California’s Heavy Duty Technology and Fuels Assessment report targets numerous heavy-duty sectors and has a strong focus on diesel particulate matter as well as other air toxics.

MIRATECH can help
Contact MIRATECH to learn more about diesel particulate matter solutions.