Lauren RabainoLast weekend I sat outside on my porch absently scanning a recent issue of BusinessWeek. Periodicals are an excellent diversion from the textbooks that are so difficult to escape during the school week. The sun was shining brightly as I updated myself on the condition of the American economy. Suddenly, my peace was shattered mid-magazine by a two-page advertisement for the American Petroleum Institute, or API, a large trade association for the American oil and natural gas industry.
The ad pictured A massive, white tractor-trailer truck set against a vast mountain range. An unending expanse of clear, blue sky extended above the truck and in bold letters the ad said, “Think 18-wheel air freshener.” A short blurb on the side of the page explained more. Ultra-low sulfur diesel technology, or ULSD, it claimed, is the latest in “blue-sky thinking” from the people of America’s oil and natural gas industry. ULSD will fuel the future because of its efficient operation and low emissions.
Several things occurred to me as I considered what I had read. First: ULSD has been introduced to American roadways in accordance with regulations imposed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA. Here in California, the use of ULSD in tractor-trailer trucks has been mandatory since 2006. The BusinessWeek ad omitted the fact that part of the motivation for fuel suppliers to make the switch to ULSD was to remain compliant with EPA standards.
The second thing that occurred to me was that to think of the vehicle in the ad as an 18-wheel air freshener is ridiculous. It made me wonder what would happen if a cigarette company published an ad referring to a light cigarette as a “10 centimeter air freshener.” Although ULSD fuels are better than conventional diesel fuel, they are not a solution to vehicle emissions problems and they certainly must never be thought of as air fresheners. That is an extremely dangerous way to think of diesel engines. The ad is a complete misrepresentation of ULSD technology.
The truth is that ULSD is a moderate step in the right direction. Instead of celebrating the arrival of ULSD fuel, policymakers and industry insiders should be urgently pursuing the next technological improvement. Diesel engines are relatively efficient compared to most engines on American roadways. Because of their good fuel economy and high torque output, diesels have long been a staple of the trucking industry.
Unfortunately, conventional diesel engines spew harmful pollutants into our atmosphere. It is easy to identify many diesel vehicles by the large black clouds of particulate matter they emit when accelerating from a standstill. This particulate matter is harmful if inhaled in addition to being an eyesore. Conventional diesel fuels also contain high concentrations of sulfur, which causes acid rain. Other pollutants emitted by conventional diesel engines cause smog.
Diesel engines run on ULSD fuel address all of these issues. The reduced amounts of sulfur in ULSD fuels curtail the production of acid rain. ULSD technology also allows engine manufacturers to incorporate emissions reduction features into their engines which would not have been possible with older diesel fuels. These are all fantastic things, but there is a particularly important issue that ULSD fuel does not address: carbon dioxide. All advantages aside, ULSD diesel vehicles emit just as much of the harmful greenhouse gas as their predecessors.
Ultra-low sulfur diesel engines are better for the environment than conventional diesel engines. That does not make them air fresheners. I have an inkling that even the enthusiastic ULSD advocates at the American Petroleum Institute are not scrambling to replace the worn air filters in their living rooms with new diesel engines. As the debate over environmental issues escalates, so does the absurdity of the propaganda distributed by involved parties. You cannot believe everything you read. Please investigate these issues for yourself.
If you’re interested in learning about a truly promising diesel technology that promotes energy independence, improves local air quality and does not contribute to global climate change, look into biodiesel. For more information or to get involved, check out biodiesel.org or contact Cal Poly Bio Diesel at cpbiodiesel@gmail.com.
Matt Hutton is an environmental engineering senior and member of the Empower Poly Coalition.