Alaska ’s Diesel Strategy

3. Alaska Retrofit Projects

		Reducing emissions through the voluntary retrofitting of diesel fleets is a DEC priority. EPA established a retrofit program to review emission reducing technologies and provide guidance and assistance to states willing to start projects. The original focus of the program was school buses. Now, nearly all uses of internal combustion diesel engines can be part of a retrofit program, including transit fleets, construction fleets, and stationary sources.

With the new federal on-highway diesel rules here, it is important to encourage diesel fleet managers and diesel engine owners to retrofit their engines with emission control devices to fully capture the benefits of the new fuel. The most convincing health studies showing cancer impacts from diesel exhaust exposure were performed on professional drivers and mechanics, those professions consistently exposed to diesel exhaust. The health of these professionals has the most to gain from the switch in fuels.

Retrofit technologies are installed as “after-treatment” devices and tend to fall under two types.

• Particulate traps can reduce particulate matter (soot) by over 90%, but are sensitive to sulfur in the exhaust. Thus, particulate traps are only recommended if the engine is burning ultra low sulfur diesel.
• Oxidative catalysts, on the other hand, are sulfur resistant. Oxidative catalysts reduce particulate matter by 20% to 50%, and also reduce nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide by similar amounts.

Other verified "retrofits" include use of specialty fuels such as water diesel emulsions and biodiesel.

DEC worked closely with the Anchorage School District to successfully complete the state’s first retrofit program. The Anchorage School District led this effort to retrofit 74 buses with new oxidative catalysts. DEC would like to build off this success by getting as many willing fleets as possible to retrofit their engines.

Recent federal legislation has identified nearly a billion dollars in funding for retrofit projects. DEC and other organizations may be able to take advantage of this funding. The following is a list of recent retrofit and ultra low sulfur diesel projects which DEC is assisting:

• DEC put money toward the purchase and transport of biodiesel derived from fish oil to Denali National Park. UAF is testing this product.
• Three diesel garbage trucks and two power generation units at Denali National Park were retrofitted. You can see Denali activities by clicking here.

Other ongoing and future retrofit projects:

• Through an agreement with ADEC, Conoco-Phillips and BP have put $2 million each towards diesel emission reduction projects on the North Slope. Projects are curently in the planning phase. Projects may include idle reduction technologies, switching diesel sources to natural gas or mainline power, and installation of oxidative catalysts.
• The bus contractor for Denali National Park, Doyon/ARAMARK Joint Venture, combined use of Syntroleum, a gas to liquids ultra low sulfur diesel, with new buses outfitted with the latest emission control systems.
• A portion of Syntroleum’s ultra low sulfur diesel was used in a Fairbanks North Star Borough transit bus during the winter of 2004/2005. If the Borough is satisfied with the fuel's performance, they will use it in another bus.
• UAF is testing stationary sources with Syntroleum.
• The Fairbanks North Star Borough and the Alaska Department of Transportation are working with the Alaska Lung Association to explore retrofit projects for Fairbanks fleet vehicles.
• Future projects may include more national park sites. Plus, a number of private fleets have expressed interest in retrofit projects.

If you are interested in a retrofit program, please contact Clint Farr at the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation at 907-465-5127 or Clint.Farr@alaska.gov. EPA maintains a website of retrofit information at http://www.epa.gov/otaq/retrofit/verif-process.htm.