Scania in comprehensive biofuel tests: Bio-based synthetic diesel sharply cuts emissions

Scania in comprehensive biofuel tests: Bio-based synthetic diesel sharply cuts
emissions

Scania joins forces with Neste in Finland to try out a new low-emission biobased
diesel fuel. Produced in a facility in southern Finland, the new fuel is
tailored to diesel combustion. Efficiency remains high, while NOx emissions are
down almost 20% and particulates close to 30% compared to standard diesel. In
addition, the fuel reduces fossil CO2 emissions by up to 80%.

“Scania's laboratory tests corroborate that bio-based synthetic diesel has great
potential,” says Hasse Johansson, Group Vice President R&D at Scania. “Simply
switching to such fuel from standard diesel can significantly improve emissions.
The possibility of mixing it freely with standard diesel makes the fuel
interesting for old vehicles and engines as well. We look forward to
participating in these trials.

Another attractive renewable heavy vehicle fuel on the market today is
bioethanol. Emissions of fossil CO2 are reduced by up to 90%, it is readily
available, production is booming, the technology is firmly established and it
gives very low emissions. Scania's third generation ethanol engines achieve the
same efficiency as a conventional diesel engine, while meeting emission levels
according to Euro 5, which will be introduced in 2009, as well as the tougher
EEV standard, which has been adopted for city traffic in some large European
urban areas.

“There is no reason to wait ‘a few more years' for better alternatives. With the
renewable fuels and the technologies available today we are off to a head start,
making a significant contribution in reducing carbon dioxide emissions. Once new
solutions, e.g. hybrid technology and potential new fuels, have proven their
worth, they can also contribute by further speeding up the process,” concludes
Mr Johansson.

Different fuels give different emissions

Bioethanol has been used as fuel for adapted diesel engine in Scania city buses
sine the late 1980s with excellent environmental results, according to Stockholm
Public Transport (SL). Fossil carbon dioxide emissions are reduced by up to 90%
for ethanol produced from sugar cane in Brazil.

Scania has carried out laboratory tests to examine the environmental effects of
other diesel fuels. The tests prove that the composition of a fuel has a direct
bearing on its environmental performance and that there is scope to optimise
engines for different fuels. Comparisons are made with reference used for
certification according to the Euro 4 exhaust emission standard.

Swedish low-emission diesel, for example, introduced on the market in the early
1990s, in itself cuts NOx by 8% and particulates by a stunning 24%. Biofuels and
synthetic fuels are also very promising in this respect.

Synthetic diesel fuel also gives considerably lower emissions of nitrogen oxides
(down 18%) and particulates (down 28%). Synthetic diesel can be produced from
natural gas (GTL, gas-to-liquid) or biomass (BTL, biomass-to-liquid).

With fossil carbon dioxide  cut by up to 80%, BTL-fuels have the best
environmental properties of synthetic diesel fuels.

Large-scale fuel trials in Stockholm and Helsinki

The new fuel from Neste, NExBTL, produced at a new facility in southern Finland,
will now be subjected to environmental and operational trials, starting in
autumn 2007 and lasting until the end of 2010. The tests involve monitoring of
exhaust emissions and engine condition with different mixes of the fuel into
standard diesel in distribution vehicles and shuttle vessels in the Stockholm
region, as well as city buses in Helsinki. 

Six Scania city buses form part of the trial. Four of them will run on 100%
NExBTL and two on normal diesel. The project also involves tests with various
mixes on some 100 vehicles operated by Posten Logistik, the logistics division
of Swedish Post, and 2-3 ships in the Stockholm archipelago operated by
Waxholmsbolaget. 

* * *
Neste Oil Corporation is a refining and marketing company focused on advanced
transport fuels. The strategy prioritises growing its refining and biodiesel
businesses, of which Neste aims to become a leading producer. Neste Oil's
refineries are located in Porvoo and Naantali in Finland.

* * *
For more information, please contact:
- Hans-Åke Danielsson, Press Manager, tel. +46 70 3468811, 
email hans-ake.danielsson@scania.com 
- Urban Wästljung, Public and Environmental Affairs, tel. +46 70 5371619, 
email urban.wastljung@scania.com  




Scania is one of the world's leading manufacturers of trucks and buses for heavy
transport applications, and of industrial and marine engines. A growing
proportion of the company's operations consists of products and services in the
financial and service sectors, assuring Scania customers of cost-effective
transport solutions and maximum uptime. Employing 32,800 people, Scania operates
in about 100 countries. Research and development activities are concentrated in
Sweden, while production takes place in Europe and South America, with
facilities for global interchange of both components and complete vehicles. In
2006, invoiced sales totalled SEK 70.7 billion and the net income amounted to
SEK 5.9 billion. 


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