Joint US-China Work Begins on Clean Diesel Retrofits in Beijing

16 November 2005

Work has begun on retrofitting 30 buses in Beijing with clean diesel technology under a collaboration between the US EPA, China’s State Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) and industry partners.

The project hopes to use two different technologies for comparison purposes: diesel particulate filters with low-sulfur diesel fuel, and diesel oxidation catalysts.

The former can achieve 90% and greater reduction in particulates, while the latter can achieve an average of 30% reduction in particulates.

The Southwest Research Institute will manage the Beijing bus retrofits, coordinating closely with EPA, the Chinese government, the bus company, and emissions control vendors. The institute, a Texas-based nonprofit specializing in technology transfer, is contributing matching funds to the project.

SwRI will issue a call for proposals for supplying and installing the emissions control devices.

Last year, EPA and SEPA signed a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate on an integrated set of clean fuels and vehicles projects. EPA committed to providing technical expertise and more than $200,000 toward diesel retrofit demonstrations.

Other projects planned between EPA and SEPA include a work-study program for Chinese officials at EPA’s National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory in Ann Arbor, Mich., and compliance management demonstrations, including recall, on-board diagnostics, in-use testing, and certification.