Singapore biodiesel test shows 95% emissions cut

04 December 2007 09:28  [Source: ICIS news]

SINGAPORE (ICIS news)--A biodiesel testing project carried out in Singapore has shown possible particle emissions reductions of 95-99% compared with ordinary diesel cars, the Economic Development Board (EDB) said on Tuesday.

 

In the recently concluded second phase, the cars were shown to consume an average of 33% less fuel than conventional petrol engines and to emit 25% less carbon dioxide (CO2), while providing 50% more torque and higher driving performance, it added.

 

“This technology enables an emission reduction of approximately 90% compared to the old diesel cars currently running in Singapore,” Bosch Automotive Aftermarket’s - one of the test’s partners - Asia-Pacific vice president Odd Joergenrud said.

 

“If modern diesel cars were introduced in Singapore instead of the conventional petrol cars, each driver would be able to save approximately 600 litres of fuel, amounting to more than 300m litres of fuel and a CO2 reduction of 800m tonnes/year in total,” he added.

 

The project - spearheaded by Singapore automotive developer Robert Bosch - was first announced in January 2007 and involved the testing of emissions and fuel consumption of modern diesel cars equipped with diesel particulate filters (DPF).

 

New blends of 5% palm oil methyl ester (POME)-based biodiesel were also tested in the project, to investigate the efficiency of its use in modern diesel-engine cares in a tropical climate like Singapore’s.

 

Testing was carried out in three phases - the first involved testing in a laboratory in Germany in July, the second involved a field test on Singapore roads from September to November and the third would involve endurance testing the cars on 4 December, the EDB said.

 

Thirteen DPF-fitted cars were imported from Germany for the purpose of the project and evaluated for levels of emission, fuel consumption and performance.

 

Phase one testing showed the cars to comply with both Euro IV emissions standards and the more stringent Euro V emission levels, the EDB said.

 

Another partner in the project Nexsol recently announced the commissioning of a 100,000 tonne/year biodiesel facility on Jurong island, Singapore.

 

Besides Robert Bosch, Nexsol and the EDB, other partners involved in the project include the National Environment Agency, DaimlerChrysler, DieselTech, Kuok Oils & Grains, Shell Eastern Petroleum and the Volkswagen Group.

By: Joyce Khoo
+65 6780 4359

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