Most Clean-Diesel Research Programs Survive President Bush's Proposed 2002 Budget, But 'Ultra-Clean Fuels' Gets Ax

Diesel Fuel News, April 30, 2001 by Jack Peckham

Government/industry joint clean-diesel research & development (R&D) programs survived fairly well in the fiscal year 2002 budget proposed by President George W. Bush for U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

Example: Advanced Petroleum Based Fuels-Diesel Emission Control (APBF-DEC) is slated to get $18 million in 2002, up slightly from $16.9 million in fiscal 2001 (see Diesel Fuel News 11/13/2000, p3).

DOE's "light truck clean diesel" program, aiming to boost ultra-clean technologies in the sport utility/van/pickup sector, would get $5.9 million, the same as in the current year. The multi-agency "21st Century Truck" program (see Diesel Fuel News 2/5/2001, p8) would get $70.6 million, the same as in fiscal 2001.

The "Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles" gets cut by $39 million, but it's still unclear what impact this might have on advanced emissions control systems for the diesel-electric hybrid, the unanimous choice as the only practical five-passenger sedan that can get 80 miles/gallon fuel economy.

In fuels research, the "Ultra-Clean Fuels Initiative" program would be eliminated, a $10 million reduction from last year (see Diesel Fuel News 11/13/2000, p3; 10/4/99, p1). This program would have included research on Fischer-Tropsch diesel and possibly some advanced catalysts that could reduce the high cost of diesel desulfurization.

The only thing remaining from "ultra-clean fuels" in the FY 2002 budget is $5 million for continuing R&D on ceramic membrane air separation technology for gas-to-liquids (GTL). Such technology, if perfected, could greatly reduce the cost of producing ultra-clean Fischer-Tropsch diesel. On the other hand, also getting the ax was the joint DOE/industry "early entrance co-production" project that aimed to pair GTL fuels with GTL chemicals, from coal by-products.

A coalition of 24 "green" groups calling themselves "Green Scissors" urged abolition of all diesel-related research in Bush's budget (see Diesel Fuel News 3/5/2001, p4). This group also attacked a proposal for a coal-waste-to-GTL diesel plant that potentially could involve Texaco, Sasol and Pennsylvania-based Waste Management & Processors. The "Green Scissors" coalition said "despite claims that this project will help to create 'ultra-clean fuels,' this project will call for continued coal mining and burning." Actually, the project would convert waste coal to fuels via gasification, not burning.

The group also denounced President Bush's $150 million clean-coal initiative for similar reasons. One of the "Scissors" groups (Public Interest Research Group, PIRG) traces its heritage to environmental/consumer advocate Ralph Nader, Green Party presidential candidate, although PIRG emphasizes that it has no direct connection to the Green Party nor Nader.