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MECA releases diesel retrofit sales figures for 2011

22 May 2012

The Manufacturers of Emission Controls Association (MECA) released the results of its survey of diesel retrofit devices sold by MECA member companies in 2011. The total number of US EPA and/or California ARB-verified diesel retrofit devices for both onroad and off-road diesel engines sold in the United States (including California) was 20,177.

Of this total, 57% (11,506) were diesel particulate filters (DPF), including both passively and actively regenerated filters; 23% (4,663) were diesel oxidation catalysts (DOC); and 4% (881) were particle oxidation catalysts (POC), also referred to as flow-through filters. The above total also includes 3,127 closed-crankcase filters. In California, 7,558 diesel retrofit devices were sold, of which 89% (6,729) were DPFs and 11% (805) were POCs. Sector-wise, in the USA (including California), 17,506 diesel retrofit devices were sold for on-road diesel engines and 2,671 for off-road diesel engines.

Compared to the results of MECA’s previous surveys, MECA member companies sold 29,180 diesel retrofit devices in 2009 and 24,640 in 2010. The total number of DPF systems has increased slightly since 2009 (outside of California: 3,329 in 2009, 4,428 in 2010, and 4,777 in 2011; in California: 4,962 in 2009, 5,745 in 2010, and 6,729 in 2011). For DOCs, the total US sales have decreased significantly (11,906 in 2009, 9,926 in 2010, and 4,663 in 2011).

The decline in retrofit sales since 2009, especially for DOCs, is most likely due to the decrease in federal funding for clean diesel projects over the same time period, as well as the recent trend of funding being spent more on projects that use engine repowers and/or vehicle replacements rather than retrofit devices, said MECA. DPF sales, although increasing slightly, were expected to be much higher in 2011, especially in California due to the requirements of ARB’s in-use truck and bus regulation—ARB projected that up to 100,000 retrofit DPFs could be installed over the 2011-2014 timeframe to comply with the regulation. In addition, ARB’s in-use off-road diesel vehicle regulation was expected to generate further demand for DPFs, but amendments to the regulation approved in December 2010 meant to give fleets more time to comply due to the economic recession continue to depress the retrofit market opportunity for off-road diesel engines in the state.

Overall, these annual retrofit sales numbers are relatively small compared to the total number of diesel engines currently operating in the United states—up to 20 million based on EPA estimates—noted MECA. Federal funding from the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) through EPA’s National Clean Diesel Campaign (approximately $531 million appropriated from FY 2007 to FY 2011, including $300 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009) has helped provide much-needed funding and financial incentives for many clean diesel projects. However, more dedicated and innovative funding is needed to clean up all of the diesel engines in the existing fleet, especially the large amount of older diesel engines in the off-road sector. DERA was re-authorized at the end of 2010 for FY 2012-2016, but only $30 million was appropriated to EPA for DERA for FY 2012 and the President’s budget request for FY 2013 currently only includes $15 million for DERA.

Source: MECA