EcoDual achieves EPA compliance for natural gas conversions of heavy-duty diesel engines under CAFC rule
03 February 2012
EcoDual, LLC, a provider of dual fuel natural gas conversion systems for heavy-duty diesel trucks, has achieved US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) compliance for installing its systems on 2004 to 2009 Cummins ISX engines.
The EcoDual technology enables existing diesel engines to be converted to operate on up to 85% natural gas, providing fuel cost savings and emission reductions. The cost of the dual fuel system can be recovered in operational savings within one year without any government incentives, the company says.
In 2011, the EPA streamlined the regulations for natural gas engines to support small businesses providing their technology in the rapidly growing natural gas vehicle market for heavy trucks. This “Clean Alternative Fuel Vehicle and Engine Conversions” (CAFC) rule, created a special category, known as Outside Useful Life (OUL), which applies to heavy-duty diesel engines with more than 435,000 miles, or more than 22,000 hours of operation, or are more than 10 years old. The EcoDual system achieved its EPA compliance under this rule.
The EcoDual conversion system was successfully demonstrated and tested on cross-country runs in a truck provided by J.W. Stenger Trucking of Barnesville, OH. Over the next 12 months, EcoDual will be releasing multiple systems certified for newer trucks with the Cummins ISX and other engine families from Detroit Diesel, Mack and Caterpillar.
In dual fuel operation, the trucks maintain full torque and power with no loss of miles per gallon. The systems are easily installed at the fleet owner’s site and are fully warranted. Dual fuel provides the added benefit of automatic operation of the truck on 100% diesel if the natural gas tank runs dry.
Dual fuel seems the way to go for easily converting existing engines with minimal downside. This is a great way for trucks to use less imported oil, clean up the air and save money at the same time.
Posted by: SJC | 03 February 2012 at 12:11 PM
The cost of the dual fuel system can be recovered in operational savings within one year without any government incentives, the company says.
This should be a no-brainer for many operators, especially for fleets operating out of a home base where fueling infrastructure can be installed.
Posted by: Nick Lyons | 03 February 2012 at 01:01 PM
Sounds almost too good o be true and makes you wonder why large fleet owners have not jumped in yet? With dual fuel system, they don't even have to wait for the CNG stations to be fully available.
Why are so few of the 8.5 million heavy trucks not fully converted yet?
Posted by: HarveyD | 03 February 2012 at 02:36 PM
"In 2011, the EPA streamlined the regulations for natural gas engines to support small businesses providing their technology in the rapidly growing natural gas vehicle market for heavy trucks."
That could have something to do with why it was not done before. There are lots of regulations for converting a pickup truck for example. You have to have an approved kit and very few exist. Then you have to have the whole thing tested running on CNG/diesel and again with just diesel.
Then you have the lack of CNG/LNG fueling out on the open road. Pickens with Clean Fuels has started a program to provide LNG on truck routes. We DO need a national plan, but the laws have been tied up in Congress since 2008. I leave it up to the readers to decide who is opposing this.
Posted by: SJC | 03 February 2012 at 04:07 PM