OCTOBER 2024AEROSPACEDEFENSEREVIEW.COM8Few 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 POWERING THEBLUE-COLLAR VEHICLEBy Troy Kantola, Director of Product Engineering, Plymouth & Ann Arbor Technical Centers, Tenneco STRONGER PISTON MATERIALS AND DESIGNS, DURABLE SELF-LUBRICATING RING COATINGS, IGNITION SYSTEMS DESIGNED TO MITIGATE GHOST SPARKING, AND EXHAUST AFTER-TREATMENT SYSTEMS DESIGNED TO FUNCTION DIRECTLY AFTER START-UP ARE CURRENTLY UNDER TEST OR IN PRODUCTION AND READY FOR HYDROGEN FUEL APPLICATIONSTroy KantolaIn My Opinion
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