Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Greener pastures: Thomas Pecora and nature-friendly interstate driving

Thomas Pecora NJ Image Credit: notpetroleum.com

Trucking firms like Thomas Pecora’s NJ-based vendor H&H Transportation, Inc. might be aware of environmental regulations imposed by the United States government on large trucks, the main instrument of their business. Trucks cannot run without gas, and, especially for long-haul journeys, scrimping on gas could be very challenging.

Diesel exhaust has been identified as carcinogenic to human beings, and has been linked to a variety of diseases including lung cancer, chronic bronchitis, and aggravated asthma. In the same vein, diesel exhaust has been identified as a greenhouse gas, the emissions of which contribute to global warming.

Thomas Pecora NJ Image Credit: extremebiodiesel.com

Alternatives have been developed over the years, but trucking companies like Thomas Pecora’s NJ-headquartered transportation service often find it hard to adjust. Biodiesel is a good alternative, but availability remains to be a problem area.

Thomas Pecora NJ Image Credit: schoolofsustainability.asu.edu

In 2006, the US Environmental Protection Agency required petroleum refiners to initiate production of ultra-low sulfur diesel, a variety that contains significantly less sulfur than the currently marketed low-sulfur diesel fuel. By the same piece of legislation, the EPA required all long-haul truck models, beginning in 2007, to be made with air pollution control technologies.

Engine-idling alternative technology is currently being produced. Engine idling among long-haul trucks is necessary for climate control within the rig, and to keep any installed appliances working. The alternative solution for this includes connecting the truck to land-based power supplies whenever they need to stop for extended periods of time. Hydrogen fuel cells have also emerged as a popular option.

The EPA has also begun encouraging the use of hydraulic hybrid trucks, which, instead of batteries, stores energy in hydraulic tanks and motors.

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