MECA releases diesel retrofit sales figures for 2009

16 July 2010

The Manufacturers of Emission Controls Association (MECA) released the results of its survey summarizing the total number of diesel retrofit devices sold by MECA member companies in the United States in 2009. The total number of verified (by US EPA and/or California ARB) diesel retrofit devices for onroad and off-road diesel engines sold in the USA (including California) by MECA member companies in 2009 was 29,180. Of this total:

• 41% (11,906) were diesel oxidation catalysts,
• 28% (8,291) were diesel particulate filters (includes both passively and actively regenerated filters),
• 8% (2,435) were flow-through filters, and
• 23% (6,548) were closed-crankcase filters.

In California, 5,086 diesel retrofit devices were sold, of which 98% (4,962) were diesel particulate filters.

Compared to the results of MECA’s 2008 and 2007 surveys, the 2009 sales figures remained about the same. 31,283 diesel retrofit devices were sold in the USA by MECA member companies in 2008 and 26,863 in 2007.

Although diesel retrofit device sales have been consistent over the past several years, these retrofit numbers are relatively small compared to the number of diesel engines currently operating in the United States (estimated at 20 million by the EPA), noted MECA. Funding from the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) through EPA’s National Clean Diesel Campaign ($469.2 million appropriated so far since FY 2007, 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, including retrofit devices, as well as engine repowers and vehicle replacements. However, more dedicated funding is needed to clean up all of the diesel engines in the existing fleet. The demand for clean diesel projects is readily apparent—for FY 2009/2010 alone, EPA received over 600 applications totaling nearly $2 billion in requests and over $2 billion in matching funds.

In California, ARB’s in-use onroad diesel vehicle regulation and in-use off-road diesel vehicle regulation are expected to generate significant additional demand for diesel retrofit devices—primarily diesel particulate filters—over the next few years, but recent delays in implementation of the regulations due to the economic recession have slowed sales, said MECA.

Source: MECA