BIKE: Secret miracle fuel additive /zero sulfer diesel

[alan_drake]

One MAJOR item missed in the stories attached.

On July 1, 2006, US refiners must ship essentially zero sulfer diesel for on road use (.5% to .015% from memory; diesel of 20 years ago could have 2% sulfur).  Off road diesel would follow circa 2010.  California is already at .015%.

This would give 6 months for the "zero" sulfur fuel to dilute older fuel in the supply chain before new diesel emmissions standards go into effect on 1/1/2007.  Pollution control devices that would be "poisoned" by high sulfur fuel can be installed then.

No "miracle additive" is going to change these requirements.

Today, there is a shortage of light, sweet crude oil; but a glut of light sour crude.  There is not enough desulfurization capacity to process high sulfur crude today.  After 7/1/2006 the shortage will be even more extreme (even with new desulpherization units coming online).

Other nations are also requiring lower sulfur fuel & heating oil as well, although I do not know the details.

40% of new car sales in the EU are turbodiesel. With "zero" sulfur diesel here, I expect many turbodiesels to appear here (the turbodiesel MiniCooper is about 60 mpg; it would give hybrids a run for their money).

Alan