Dual Fuel (Gaseous/Diesel) Engines: Opportunities, Challenges & Strategies to Expand the Market

Dual Fuel (Gaseous/Diesel) Engines: Opportunities, Challenges & Strategies to Expand the Market presents a forum to identify and explore the most important technology, marketing and regulatory issues related to gaseous fuelled (natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas – LPG) ‘dual fuel’ diesel engines. Engine experts, fleet operators and government regulatory specialists will meet in Brussels on 30th-31st March 2010 to discuss the range of different dual fuel technologies, operating experiences and regulatory issues that must be addressed in order to overcome the market entry challenges faced by these economic and low polluting engine technologies. Speakers and the audience will participate in an open dialogue designed to create a strategy that encourages the development of a new regulatory framework that results in increased worldwide market penetration of dual fuel gaseous/diesel engines and vehicles.

Dual Fuel Gaseous/Diesel Engines: Approaching diesel efficiency but cleaner & cheaper

Dual fuel gas engines are designed to operate on natural gas or LPG blended with varying amounts of diesel fuel as a ‘pilot’ ignition source. Dual fuel natural gas engines replace up to 85-95% diesel; dual fuel LPG engines replace about 35-40% diesel. This makes these so-called ‘giesel engines’ especially valuable in circumstances where the use of natural gas or LPG is desired for environmental or economic reasons but where the gaseous fuel supply is not available in all locations. Today’s sophisticated, computer controlled dual fuel retrofit systems are being developed as ‘bolt on’ technologies that can be removed if necessary, to resell the vehicle as a normal diesel engine. This flexibility makes these engines very useful for heavy duty applications, affording a good business case in many global markets.

Dual Fuel Engines are becoming more widespread for on-road and off-road applications

Dual fuel systems provided by a small number of technology companies are becoming increasingly popular in North America, Europe, Australia and China, among others. Most of these are retro-fit systems, however, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are showing more interest in these promising technologies. 

• Volvo is working with dual fuel system suppliers to offer OEM-quality dual fuel trucks.

• Bosch has been developing a natural gas dual fuel injector that, if brought to market, could make a major contribution to the growth of OEM dual fuel technology. 

• Some OEMs, such as Wärtsilä, supply dual fuel gas engines for large ocean-going ships and smaller internal waterway vessels.

Great potential, but difficult challenges must be overcome

There are a variety of regulatory and technical challenges that impede the rapid market penetration of dual fuel engines and vehicles. 

• Regulations to enable certification of dual fuel engines must be created at the international, United Nations level. In the absence of clear regulatory guidelines, some countries allow dual fuel vehicles, some provide ‘exemptions’ on a case-by-case basis, and other countries prohibit the systems altogether. 

• Questions remain about which emissions test cycles should be used, or whether these engines should be tested only as a diesel, as a gas engine, or both. 

• Because dual fuel systems continue to use diesel fuel, complicated emissions after-treatment systems also may be necessary, which increases the cost and complexity of the vehicle system.

The goal of the Critical Issues Workshop is to create a strategy to develop a new regulatory framework for dual fuel engines and thus improve their market potential
The Dual Fuel Gaseous/Diesel Engine workshop will gather key gaseous fuel stakeholders to create a strategic opportunity that can foster the development of a regulatory framework to allow the certification of dual fuel gaseous engine systems.

This Critical Issues Workshop provides an excellent opportunity to network and engage with NGV and LPG industry experts, equipment suppliers, customers, public sector policy-makers and others. A small table top exhibit adjacent to the workshop room provides an opportunity for companies to display information and materials about their equipment and services. Coffee breaks and a cocktail reception on Tuesday night will be held in the same area as the table top exhibits in order to facilitate networking opportunities. Additionally, sponsorship of the workshop is encouraged so that individual companies can enhance their corporate visibility.

PRELIMINARY AGENDA

This is the third in the series of Clean Fuels Consulting Critical Issues Workshops. This workshop is designed to gather expert speakers to address a knowledgeable audience of specialists involved in alternative fuels, engine development, emissions, regulations and standards who, together, can identify and explore new strategies to open the world-wide markets for dual fuel gaseous/diesel engine technologies. The workshop provides an excellent opportunity to interact and network with leading figures in the industry and government. The goal is to leave the workshop with a firm idea of the key issues facing the gaseous fuels industries and what strategies and next steps are required to set in motion the process to create certification procedures and related commercialization activities for gaseous/diesel dual fuel engines and vehicles. A small table top exhibition accompanies the workshop.

DAY ONE: Tuesday, 30th March 2010

12.00-13.00 COFFEE & REGISTRATION

13.00-13.15 WELCOME, INTRODUCTIONS & OBJECTIVES OF THE WORKSHOP
Jeffrey Seisler, CEO, Clean Fuels Consulting

SESSION I

13.15-15.15 DUAL FUEL ENGINE TECHNOLOGIES

Dual fuel engine technology since the 1980s has transformed from mechanical-based systems into fully computerized and computer compatible technology that is allowing gas engines to achieve the same performance as diesel technology but using a cheaper, cleaner fuel. The current dual fuel technology leaders provide their view on today’s technologies and what needs to be done to get certified equipment into the market.

• High Pressure Direct Injection (HPDI) LNG & CNG Systems for Heavy Duty Engines, Westport Innovations, (Canada) (invited) 

• Computerized Dual Fuel System Developments, Clean Air Power (UK) (speaker to be determined) 

• Volvo Perspective and Activities with Dual Fuel Engines, AB Volvo (Sweden) (invited) 

• Dual Fuel Systems for Off-Road Vehicles, Gert Jan Rap, CEO, Rap Clean Air Products/International Clean Fuels Training Institute (Netherlands). (Invited)

15:15-15:45 COFFEE BREAK IN EXHIBITION AREA

SESSION II

15:45-17:45 DUAL FUEL TECHNOLOGIES II

Without any support from public sector funding, dual fuel technology specialists work their way through development challenges to get high-efficient, compression ignition engines on the road. Approaches for both natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas will be presented.

• Dual Fuel Technology for MAN Engines (speaker to be confirmed) 

• Technical Challenges for LPG Dual Fuel Engine Development (speakers to be confirmed) 

• Emissions Challenges for Dual Fuel Engines: Can they improve upon ‘clean diesel?’ (speaker to be confirmed)

18.00-19.30 Cocktails in the Foyer with Table Top Exhibits

DAY TWO: Wednesday, 31st March 2009
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8.00-8.30 MORNING COFFEE

SESSION III

08:30-10:30 CUSTOMER EXPERIENCES WITH DUAL FUEL VEHICLES

New developments in clean engine and vehicle technology are exciting but will they stand up to the daily rigor of in-service use? Can the claims of the technology experts be demonstrated positively once the vehicles are on the road? Does dual fuel (natural gas and LPG) really work as well as diesel? Are the engines and vehicles reliable? Can the emissions meet the most stringent standards? And, most importantly, do they save money? Leading commercial sector innovators talk about their direct experiences – the successes and challenges – of operating dual fuel vehicles.

FLEET OPERATORS TO BE INVITED

10.30 -11.00 BREAK

SESSION IV

11.00-12.30 DUAL FUEL ENGINE CERTIFICATION: READY FOR “PRIME TIME” IN THE MARKET PLACE

Dual fuel engines are allowed under UN ECE Regulation 110 but certification to allow them to operate must be done on a country-by-country basis. There currently is a ‘reservation’ for certification procedures and test methods within UNECE Regulation 115 but much needs to be accomplished before these engines can be certified for operation on a world-wide basis. Until R.115 can be amended effectively, the commercial progress of dual fuel vehicles will be challenged. Regulatory and standards experts from countries with experience or that are considering dual fuel gas engine technology will discuss what needs to be done to create test procedures, test fuels, and related procedures to bring the technology commercially on par with traditional fuelled and alternatively fuelled engines and technologies. Brief presentations will be followed by in-depth discussion among the panelists and with the audience.

Moderator: Martin Seifert, Swiss Water & Gas Association

• United Nations Regulations: What’s required to develop certification procedures for dual fuel engines?, André Rijnders, RDW, Vehicle Technology and Information Centre, Ministry of Transport and Public Works (Netherlands) 

• German Dual Fuel Engine Certification Experience and Prospects, TUEV Saarland Automobil GmbH – TUV Rheinland Group (Germany) (invited). 

• Certification Regulations for LPG/Diesel Engines (Speaker to be determined)
• Emissions Testing Issues for Dual Fuel Engines (Speaker to be determined)

Session V

12.30-13.15 NEXT STRATEGIC STEPS INTO THE MARKET: THE FUTURE OF DUAL FUEL

An interactive discussion between panelists selected from the session presenters and the audience will provide the final results of the workshop activities, with an eye toward pursuing activities and strategies to further develop the world-wide markets for dual fuel gaseous/diesel technology. The discussion will focus on gaps and needs for further research, development and practical applications, including the development of international dual fuel regulations that will provide for full certification of the engines.

13.15 CLOSING REMARKS & END OF WORKSHOP

Visit www.DualFuelStrategies.com for more information about registration, sponsorship and exhibiting