"We don’t need to wait for diesel technology to significantly reduce C02 emissions," Schaeffer said. "Diesel powered equipment in the field right now and diesel vehicles on the road today deliver substantial greenhouse gas reductions and air quality benefits.
"Leaders from around the world meeting at COP21 this week are making commitments to reduce carbon emissions, which will require proven technologies – ones that can feed a growing population, enhance economic development and opportunity and improve personal mobility in all parts of the world. To achieve these objectives will require greater implementation of proven and available technology, like the newest generation of diesel engines.
"Diesel engines have emerged as the fuel-efficient technology of choice for many decades of doing the business of the global economy, with diesel engines and fuel moving the overwhelming majority of people and goods in every corner of the world.
"While fully half of the U.S. climate commitment relies on emissions cuts from power plants, the second leading strategy is reducing carbon dioxide emissions from passenger and commercial vehicles. Here, more efficient and lower-emissions technologies such as clean diesel must play a more significant role if the U.S. is to achieve its reductions in the timeframe outlined under the commitment.
"While there is ongoing demonstration and exploration of alternative fuels in niche applications, diesel is expected to remain the predominant powertrain in commercial vehicles for several decades to come. In the U.S., since 2007 the introduction of 1.9 million of the newest generation of clean diesel commercial trucks has already resulted in savings of 9 million tonnes of CO2, 880 million gallons of diesel, 21 million barrels of crude oil, 1.45 million tonnes of NOx, and 39,500 tonnes of particulate matter (PM). These results demonstrate why clean diesel will be a key player helping the U.S. and many other nations achieve their climate commitments.
"Beyond commercial trucks, diesel engines are also the primary technology for building transportation and public infrastructure and the power behind most farm tractors and machines that help feed the world.
"Light-duty passenger vehicles are also achieving significant fuel savings that will greatly contribute to greenhouse gas emissions reductions in the U.S. While diesel passenger vehicles represent a small share of the U.S. market today, these vehicles reduced carbon dioxide emissions by over nine million tonnes while saving 36 million barrels of crude oil between 2005 and 2014.
