The world’s demand for oil-based fuel is insatiable, with over a trillion barrels extracted from the earth to date and still many more to come in the future.  But this energy doesn’t come without a price.  Every gallon of fuel that is burned contributes to smog, acid rain and other environmental hazards of which we are only now seeing the dangerous – and potentially irreversible – effects of today.  The pressure is on to make engines run more efficiently and fuels burn cleaner than they do today.

Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel Fuel: A Solution for A Cleaner Environment
                                                             

Fortunately for our environment, that pressure to improve is already yielding impressive results, one of them being the development of ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel (commonly called ULSD for convenience).  This specially formulated version of traditional diesel fuel has become the de facto standard in almost all of North America and Europe over the past year or so.

Triple Diamond Energy Corp. is proud to supply oil to companies that develop this ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel.  By 2010 federal legislation mandates that retail sales of diesel fuel in all 50 states convert over to ULSD. At this time, all states except Alaska have made the switch.  Four years after that, all diesel imported and produced in the United States will be of the ultra-low sulfur variety whether it is intended for retail highway sales or for use in trains, ships, or other non-road applications.

The improvement in emissions for ULSD is staggering – it contains a mere one-thirtieth of the sulfur content as its “low sulfur” counterpart.  But there’s more to ULSD than just reducing sulfur emissions.  This new fuel finally makes it possible for our country’s vehicles to be upgraded with advanced emission control systems that can strikingly minimize the amounts of nitrogen oxides as well as particulate matter – the top causes of smog and other health hazards.  These systems have existed for some time now, but were unable to be used due to the destructive effects of sulfur on their sensitive components.  But ULSDs have taken that barrier away forever.

Fuel Advances Open The Door To More Diesel Powered Cars
                                                             

Diesel engines have long been known to be reliable, fuel-efficient workhorses and are a standard part of most European cars.  But diesel adoption in the United States has been difficult due to tight EPA restrictions.  Over the next few years, however, the EPA is loosening their restrictions to allow U.S. automakers to fit vehicles with ULSD-compatible diesel engines that can take advantage of the new and sophisticated advanced emission control systems.

Ultra-low sulfur diesel is a marriage of the best of both worlds. Reduced emissions help protect our fragile environment and increased fuel efficiency helps consumers when it comes time to pay at the gas pumps.  And as technology advances drive emissions down even further, companies like Triple Diamond Energy Company will continue to provide the oil used to create this cleaner burning fuel for cars as they come into the consumer market.