Federal mandates for ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) and a growing public awareness of the environment make it more important than ever for truck operators to find solutions that not only reduce their carbon footprint, but also help trucks operate more efficiently at the lowest cost per mile.

The climate is changing, both economically and environmentally.
Despite an EPA mandate to implement ULSD, in 2006, almost all of the on-road petroleum-based diesel fuel available in the U.S. and Europe was a non-ULSD type. In 2007 and 2008 the marketplace has seen a greater influx of ULSD so that the majority of on-road fuel is now of the ultra-low sulfur type. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also mandated the use of ULSD fuel in model year 2007 and newer highway diesel fuel engines equipped with advanced emission control systems. The sulfur level of the current allowable ULSD is 15 parts per million (ppm), down from 500 ppm just a few years ago.

Erik Bjornstad, Technical Sales Director for Bell Performance Inc., explains that the average diesel consumer “reduced their contribution to air pollution by 90 percent by changing from 5,000 ppm to 500 ppm fuels (the previous EPA-mandated sulfur reduction in the early 1990s). From 500 ppm to 15 ppm is an even bigger drop in the amount of sulfur to the air,” he says. “It’s a 99.7 percent drop in a 20-year period.”

Bjornstad says particulate filters and emissions-reduction systems to reduce carbon particulates and NOx gasses have also helped to lower the amount of pollution to the air. Those reductions and public awareness are a good opportunity for environmentally friendly companies. “Our products have always been better for the environment. Now people want to do better for the environment, so they are more aware.”

And Bjornstad says the cost to “be green” is a small price to pay. It costs about 1.5 cents more a gallon to treat diesel fuels and most Americans are not impacted by that cost. “Most U.S. consumers are more swayed by the money saved, but it’s becoming more attractive to trucking fleets because of the incentives for running cleaner.

In Florida where Bell Performance calls home, Governor Charlie Crist is pushing for more incentives to reduce greenhouse emissions. Many counties in Florida and other states across the country are pushing for similar rewards to reduce pollution.

Bjornstad reminds that the United States is still lagging behind other countries such as China and many European nations in environmental policies. “If you can show people that it won’t cost the bottom line and that they can make money back and get other benefits by running cleaner fuels, then it’s a win-win for everyone,” he says.

“For 100 years our (Bell’s) main interests have been gas and diesel products,” he says. “Diesel has been around for 50 years. We are the oldest additives company in the United States and we’ve been creating solutions for the environment and fuel efficiency for 50 to 80 years. That’s credibility in the marketplace. We want to provide solutions to the market and there are no outrageous claims about what our products can do compared to some things you’ll find. Some treatments for fuel are nothing more than snake oil. Our products do what we say they’ll do. We’ve been in business 100 years to prove that we are credible.”

For more information about Bell Performance Inc. and the product line, visit www.bellperformance.net.