Environmental Regulations Aim to Limit Negative Consequences of Traffic Growth

LONDON, November 17 -- The increasing vehicle density in modern, industrialised societies is turning out to be quite an environmental concern for governments. The exponential rise in motorised vehicles means there has been an escalation in pollutant flows.

Regulatory authorities are hoping to rectify this problem by passing legislations mandating a lowering of limits for air pollutants in exhaust emissions. Moreover, following the Kyoto climate summit of 1997, attempts are being made to reduce carbon dioxide emissions through measures such as ceilings on average fleet consumption.

"Emission from cars is a huge concern in Europe and automobile companies have been furiously working on various technologies that can remove carbon particulates at source and create a greener environment," says Technical Insights Research Analyst Sathyaraj R.

Automotive catalysts have emerged as a winning solution that can control pollutants such as sulphur and particulates. While diesel oxidation catalysts check diesel emission either at source or through exhaust gas after-treatment, nanocatalysts, with their high activity, increase the efficiency of hydrocracking and hydrodesulphurisation processes.

These catalysts not only help automotive companies adhere to environmental regulations, but also improve the yield of gasoline.

Automotive catalysts could be a welcome technology in Europe for many reasons. With fuel prices in the regions being three to four times higher than in the United States, fuel efficiency is vital.

"Several Western European countries and auto manufacturers have agreed to voluntary commitments to improve fuel consumption on a national level because national markets in Europe are still not homogenous," notes Mr. Sathyaraj. "This is because the markets are mainly driven by different taxation schemes."

Governments and companies are looking to explore alternative means of fuel production. The focus is on expanding renewable energy sources and building a sustainable energy supply.

Biomass is a very convenient source of energy as it can be obtained from a wide variety of plant and animal materials. Biomass includes energy crops, crop residues and organic residues such as slurry, industrial wood waste and sewage sludge. It can be used to obtain propellant fuels, electricity, heat and also combined heat and power.

"Different types of phytomass and zoomass result in specific energy and environmental balances and these must be reconciled, following evaluation, with the most suitable conversion technology," observes Mr. Sathyaraj.

Using biomass and renewable raw materials helps reduce dependency on fossil fuels, which aids in improving the environment and develop new areas of employment such as in the agriculture industry.

European Automotive Industry - Environmental Regulations and Related Technology Developments examines various technology developments in the automotive industry that could be brought about by several sets of environmental regulations. The study analyses technological trends that might influence industry size and growth and identifies potential commercial applications. It also summarises various patents for insights into notable R&D activity and important participants. Executive summaries and interviews are available to the press.

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