The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler launched the Cleaner Trucks Initiative (CTI) yesterday to further decrease nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from on-highway heavy-duty trucks and engines.
This is a considerable step towards a cleaner environment through more stringent air pollution standards. Looking at technology advancements and finding innovative ways to make these kinds of vehicles cleaner and with lowered emissions is a win for the clean energy industry.
Wheeler stated:
“The U.S. has made major reductions in NOx emissions, but it’s been nearly 20 years since EPA updated these standards. Through rulemaking and a comprehensive review of existing requirements, we will capitalize on these gains and incentivize new technologies to ensure our heavy-duty trucks are clean and remain a competitive method of transportation.”
The clean energy market is continually innovating and changing, whether it is through an ARPA-E recipient that can offer clean, natural gas for mobile fleet fueling, or a large company producing advanced silicon carbide (SiC) materials so that electric vehicles can go further. It’s all possible now thanks to businesses who are engaged in clean energy solutions for our energy efficiency and production needs, and programs like ARPA-E that help bring those innovative ideas to market.
The CTI will also simplify certification of compliance requirements for heavy-duty trucks and engines. “Working together with partners in states and industry, we can achieve environmental results through the pursuit of commonsense regulations that encourage economic growth. New programs borne out of the CTI offer opportunities to streamline regulations through smarter program design and reduce the overall regulatory burden while protecting human health and the environment,” stated the EPA release.
Reducing emissions in a smart way requires commonsense solutions. The EPA has taken a positive step towards reducing emissions and air pollution through the CTI, and the opportunity for more innovative technologies or cost-effective ways to achieve that is an exciting prospect for the clean energy market.