Volvo trucks support initiative for cleaner future

A new co-operation has been formed to contribute to a cleaner future in the road haualge sector, as the vast majority of western European heavy truck manufacturers have decided in favour of emission control using SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction) technology to meet the new Euro 4 and Euro 5 exhaust emission standards, due to become law in 2006 and 2009. These manufacturers - DAF, Iveco, Mercedes-Benz, Renault Trucks and Volvo Trucks - together represent approx. 80 per cent of the European truck market. In parallel with this introduction, chemical and oil companies are safeguarding the regular supply of AdBlue, the water/urea solution necessary for SCR technology.

SCR converts nitrogen oxides into harmless water vapour and nitrogen
AdBlue is the commercial name give to a high quality, standardised and synthetically produced aqueous urea solution. By means of a catalytic converter, with the help of metered quantities of AdBlue sprayed into the hot exhaust gas stream, SCR reduces harmful nitrogen oxides (NOx) into harmless nitrogen and water. The AdBlue, which is carried in a separate tank within the vehicle presents no handling problems. Trucks and heavy commercial vehicles with SCR technology attain the Euro 4 exhaust gas emission standards prescribed from 2006, and will - in an improved version - also be able to meet the next stage, Euro 5, which comes into effect from 2009. In addition a truck equipped with SCR is expected to have an approx. two to five percent lower fuel consumption than a comparable Euro 3 vehicle - a particularly strong argument in times of high fuel prices and a further factor in environmental protection due to lower CO2 emissions.

AdBlue is available in sufficient quantities
Supplies of the DIN 70070 high quality product AdBlue are now assured by leading European urea producers as: AMI Agrolinz Melamin International GmbH, BASF AG, Fertiberia SA, Grande Paroisse, SKW Stickstoffwerke Piesteritz GmbH and Yara International ASA which are able to manufature AdBlue in six European countries. The AdBlue producers will further adapt their capacities to the development of the markets. Together with their distribution partners, these producers are currently establishing a Europe-wide network to supply their customers.

The role of the oil companies in the introduction of SCR technology
Two well-known oil companies - the Austrian OMV and the French Total, first European Refining and Marketing company - are already developing their strategy for the implementation of SCR technology for commercial vehicles; they are also actively supporting final tests with the new aftertreatment systems. Other companies have expressed great interest and are currently in intensive discussions with the above representatives of the chemical and commercial vehicle sectors. Both oil companies and AdBlue manufacturers are presently formulating extensive product and service packages for the operators of public and corporate filling stations. Above all this means equipping these public filling stations and refuelling stations operated by the European haulage industry with SCR fuelling systems. These cover a wide range, from combined diesel/AdBlue pumps with separate counter mechanisms and a single receipt for both products (already operational at fuel stations in Berlin, Stuttgart and Vomp/Tyrol) to small filling stations on company premises and fleet packages consisting of tanks and canisters.

Numerous advantages from compliance with Euro 4/5 with SCR technology
SCR provides decisive advantages compared to competing systems:
- SCR has a secure future and therefore represents a secure investment, as this technology has the potential for Euro 5 and beyond.
- SCR works Europe-wide with diesel fuels of varying quality
-The SCR system is maintenance-free and designed for the entire lifespan of the vehicle
- SCR technology has no effect on the service and oil-change intervals of the vehicles
- SCR significantly reduces the fuel consumption of engines.

Moreover, several European countries are already encouraging advance compliance with Euro 4 and Euro 5 with incentives such as lower road tolls (e.g 10 instead of 12 cents/km in Germany) or more favourable depreciation rates for correspondingly equipped vehicles (e.g. in the Netherlands). Incentives to use this environmentally-friendly technology are shortly to be experted in other European countries. According to present findings, the operating costs of long-distance trucks with SCR technology will not increase compared to the current Euro 3 emission standard, despite considerably reduced emission values. Other advantages of SCR include very good operating reliability and a long range given a correspondingly large AdBlue tank capacity.

SCR technology ideally combines ecology with economy. All these are clear arguments in favour of SCR, as is the commitment of well-known brands in the automotive, chemical and oil industries that are furthering and supporting its introduction. In the near future it is to be expected that further companies will join us because SCR is an attractive technology for the reduction of pollutants.

SCR as a reliable and worldwide solution for diesel engines
Experts also see good chances that SCR aftertreatment systems have a good potential to become accepted aftertreatment in markets even beyond the borders of Europe. In global terms SCR therefore provides the most cost effective solution in both environmental and performance terms.