The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) most recent regulations on clean air standards, known at Tier 4 Final, require significant reductions in nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter over previous tiers, which impacts microgrid operators and others that use diesel generators for standby power. A new white paper from Volvo Penta debunks some of the most common myths about Tier 4 Final diesel engines to show their overall benefits.
Get the full report.
Over the last 24 years, the EPA has been implementing increasingly stricter emissions standards for diesel engines. According to the paper, “The latest and most restrictive EPA standard for stationary diesel engines today is Tier 4 Final, which reduces emissions up to 99% compared to previous tiers.”
The paper opens with highlights of a recent Microgrid Knowledge webinar that featured Volvo Penta, PowerSecure and Miratech. “The Clean Secret Behind Diesel” webinar was designed to answer frequently asked questions about Tier 4 Final compliant diesel engines. Experts from the companies discussed the new emissions standards and environmentally friendly diesel engines. Among the highlights of the paper, the author includes an overview of Volvo Penta’s Tier 4 Final Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) process. This process “reduces the NOx emissions by injecting a diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) into the exhaust. The DEF breaks down the NOx into harmless nitrogen and water vapor.”
“Tier 4 Final engines have been used for over a decade in Europe and America in trucks, buses and off-highway equipment, with many thousands of applications.” — Volvo Penta, “Debunking Myths about Tier 4 Final Diesel Engines“
The paper also includes a question and answer section with Darren Tasker, vice president, industrial, for Volvo Penta. He is asked a series of questions about the company’s Tier 4 Final engines, including how they are field tested and how they compare to natural gas engines and previous tier levels. Tasker noted that “by reducing the particulate matter and NOx in the engine with the SCR system, we have eliminated the need for additional Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR). The result is reduced fuel consumption and better reliability.”
Download the full report, “Debunking Myths about Tier 4 Final Diesel Engines” from Volvo Penta.
