Cat Urges Alternatives to SCR for 2010

Caterpillar believes selective catalytic reduction (SCR) treatment might not be the ideal solution to meet the “near-zero” EPA 2010 emission standards.

The engine manufacturer listed four major issues that it says make SCR less viable:

• hurdle of regulating the required urea addition to tanks;
• urea infrastructure must be built to support the North American market;
• combined costs for fuel and urea may negate nearly all cost benefits of the technologies to users;
• the system is vulnerable to external damage, which may increase owning and operating costs.

  “Our research suggests that while it is an excellent technology for stationary application, SCR may not be the best technology for mobile applications, such as on-highway trucks,” stated Caterpillar in a release. “One leading European truck manufacturer recently announced that it will not be using SCR technology to meet the Euro V emissions regulations.”

  Caterpillar said it will continue to research SCR, but urges the industry to “explore all possible technology options before coming to conclusions about any single solution” for 2010.