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E-Buses: A Pilot Project for Ethanol-Diesel

The Canadian Renewable Fuels Association (CRFA) is a non-profit organization mandated to promote renewable fuels (ethanol, biodiesel) for automotive transportation through consumer awareness and liaison with government.

What are they doing?

The CRFA is collaborating with several partnering organizations on a pilot project that tests ethanol-diesel (e-diesel), a renewable fuel technology, and related marketing strategies.

E-Buses brings together a team of experienced national and international partners such as Natural Resources Canada, Sunoco and Octel Starreon to create the largest e-diesel project in the world. With e-diesel, vehicles will emit less greenhouse gases. Other environmental impacts related to transportation, such as chemical run-off, will also be reduced.

What did the project accomplish?

Notable results include:

Preliminary testing showed that PM and sulphur reductions were significant, NOx reductions were moderate and there was no impact on COs. The expanded testing program will be essential to confirm these data results during field tests under extreme weather conditions, notably with a view to comparing against variations from previous AAE tests.

Market research and industry consultations also completed under the purview of the MOST funding served to confirm that a strong market exists for e-diesel in Canada and other countries. They demonstrated that conditions were prime to introduce the new fuel technology into the market, as both government and corporate fuel purchasers were under considerable public and regulatory pressures to adopt sustainable transportation solutions.

Conversely, while research showed a demand for green fuels, it also highlighted the importance of preconditioning the market to be accepting of a new fuel technology such as e-diesel. To this end, the results of the research provided highly valuable data in the development of the Education and Awareness program that will support the demonstration project in its execution phase.

Test results varied with #1 and #2 e-diesel. The following results are for #2 diesel:

  • Emission: CO
    Reduction: +5%
  • Emission: CO2
    Reduction: +0.4%
  • Emission: PM
    Reduction: 29%
  • Emission: NOx
    Reduction: 3%
  • Emission: Sulphur
    Reduction: 27%

Completed an in-depth market analysis based on an analysis of survey research data, interviews with the leading technological experts in the field, consultations with key stakeholders to test messages and accuracy of awareness program, meetings with stakeholders to identify vehicles and a literary review of mainstream and trade media and academic materials.

Where can you find more information?

Canadian Renewable Fuels Association

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Date modified:
2010-02-03