Mar 15 2008
GE - Transportation, a global technology innovator and supplier to the railroad, marine, mining and wind industries, welcomed the new Tier 3 and 4 emission regulations issued by the United States' Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today. The new rules govern the emissions of particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) generated by new diesel engines in rail and marine applications starting in 2012.
Tier 3 emission standards will take effect in 2012 followed by Tier 4 in 2015. Tier 4 locomotive emission standards will start two years earlier than outlined in previous proposals and thereby lead to significant environmental benefits sooner.
“GE - Transportation welcomes the new and well-conceived Tier 3 and 4 emissions standards,” said John M. Dineen, President and CEO of GE- Transportation, a leading manufacturer of diesel locomotives and marine engines. “The EPA set ambitious targets to lower emissions of particulate matter and nitrogen oxides. We value the EPA's comprehensive and balanced approach which represents wins for all stakeholders involved.”
Added Dineen: “The EPA's new and tough emission standards will drive technological innovation in our industry to significantly lower emissions.”
GE's transportation business joined an inclusive stakeholder group consisting of government and industry, as well as environmental and community organizations to assist in the development of the new Tier 3 and 4 emission standards.
GE - Transportation expects that the EPA's new emission standards will spawn innovation and benefit its railroad customers and communities worldwide - as much as past regulatory efforts have. In response to the EPA's Tier 0 through Tier 2 regulations, GE's transportation business invested approximately $400 million to develop the Evolution® Series locomotive over an eight-year period. Entering the market in 2005, the Evolution® Series locomotive is now the most technologically advanced, fuel-efficient and eco-friendly diesel-electric locomotive in history. It delivers up to 5% higher fuel efficiency and a 40% reduction in emissions over its predecessor. If every freight locomotive in North America were as clean as GE's Evolution®, the annual reduction of emissions would compare to removing 48 million cars from the road each year.
Today, the Evolution® Series locomotive is one of GE - Transportation's best-selling products in markets worldwide. More than 2,400 Evolution® Series locomotives are in use today proving that fuel efficient, low emissions, eco-friendly transportation solutions and global business growth go hand in hand. The Evolution® Series locomotive serves as one of GE's first products to be certified as part of its “Ecomagination” initiative. Ecomagination is a company wide commitment to developing technology designed to help customers satisfy environmental challenges, to maximize performance and reduce cost.
GE - Transportation's commitment to green technologies did not end with the Evolution® Series locomotive. The company developed a diesel-electric hybrid prototype. Bearing road number 2010, the 4,400 horsepower Evolution® Hybrid locomotive will feature a series of innovative batteries which will capture and store energy dissipated during dynamic braking. The energy generated by braking a 207-ton locomotive during the course of one year is enough to power 160 households for that year. Battery technology will reduce fuel consumption upwards of 30,000 gallons per year per locomotive and emissions by up to 10 percent when compared to the existing Evolution® Series locomotive.