GreenMan Technologies announced that its American Power Group Inc. subsidiary has signed a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Test Vehicle Agreement with Casella Waste Systems Inc. to convert one of its refuse trucks to APG’s dual fuel system and begin on-the-road test trials and emissions compliance approval.
APG says it recently received a Vehicular Memorandum of Exemption from EPA allowing public highway access for the testing and verification of its dual fuel upgrade system on aftermarket diesel truck and tractor engines. Casella Waste Systems provides collection, transfer, disposal, recycling and resource management services to residential, industrial and commercial customers, throughout the eastern United States. The company owns or operates 31 solid waste collection operations, 30 transfer stations and 34 recycling facilities supported by a fleet of more than 1,000 vehicles.
“We believe the aftermarket refuse industry will be a large addressed market for effective diesel fuel and diesel emissions reduction technologies, and this testing is a vital step in APG’s move towards commercializing our dual fuel technology,” says Lyle Jensen, GreenMan’s president and chief executive officer.
APG’s dual fuel system is designed to by displace 40 percent to 70 percent of normal diesel fuel consumption with CNG, LNG or biomethane. APG says its system is noninvasive to the engine and operates within all OEM performance controls with the flexibility to return to 100 percent diesel operation at any time. APG says its dual fuel conversion and emissions reduction systems can help users achieve their sustainability goals through lower carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide and particulate matter emissions. APG also says the introduction of natural gas through its dual fuel system does not impact diesel engine power or pulling torque and will assist in extending the engine’s oil life as natural gas is a cleaner burning fuel compared to diesel.
APG says the EPA test exemptions will allow it to gather critical engine performance and emissions data on a pre-dual fuel and post-dual fuel basis to support EPA approval requirements and commence commercialization of its noninvasive dual fuel upgrade system in the United States. The initial vehicle to be tested for Casella Waste Systems will be a 2003 DT530 8.6L/275HP International refuse truck.
“We recognize that our industry is evolving towards a model that rewards an approach to resource renewal and sustainability,” says John Casella, chairman and CEO of Casella Waste Systems. “This includes, for us, developing a ‘greener’ fleet as we work toward reducing our diesel emissions 10 percent by 2013. To get there, we are using innovation to rethink every aspect of our business, and we look forward to working with American Power Group to test and determine the utilization of their alternative fuel technology in the Casella fleet network.”
