Bosch clean diesel debuts at 1st
RP energy efficiency forum
The race to produce the world’s first commercially-viable electric vehicle, which responsibility rests upon the current generation, has sparked significant interest worldwide as an estimated 20 percent of CO2 emissions are produced by public and commercial vehicles. It is a clear technological challenge that demands a firm response in order to curb the onset of climate change.
Perhaps a cinematic glimpse into the future holds the key? Since the introduction of motion pictures, film producers have romanticized the concept of the flying car. From space oddities and popular sci-fi flicks of the 1960s, to Back to the Future’s time-traveling DeLorean – movie-goers the world over marveled at the sensational flying automobile. Director Robert Zemeckis even included an on-board device called "Mr. Fusion" in the BTTF sequel, which converts solid waste into spontaneous energy for the flying DeLorean. Even George Jetson’s flying craft doesn’t seem to need refueling; thus, Hanna-Barbera’s alludes to "cold fusion" and a carbon-free society.
With a growing vehicle population the world over, it is now a matter of time that technology should find a solution to address the equally growing demand for energy and fossil fuels. This is the challenge that Bosch faces up to.
While the company is presently engaged in developing lithium ion batteries for automotive applications – and as it estimates over 500 thousand electric vehicles sold worldwide by 2015 – it remains focused on increasing the efficiency of the internal-combustion engine, which will remain the dominant technology over the next 20 years. And by no small measure, Bosch Clean Diesel has enabled vehicle manufacturers to meet even more stringent emission standards from developed countries.
In 2009, Makati rolled out e-jeeps on its streets, which is a move meant to address the problem of emissions – and clearly, a bold statement for the country to embrace the concept of "going green." But what about the thousands of other jeepneys plying the country’s thoroughfares? What about the trucks that transport goods to and from the market place?
"Our challenge is to ensure a sustainable mobility," according to Klaus Landhaeusser, external affairs manager of Bosch Diesel Systems in Singapore. "This means that while we improve mobility, we should also reduce the local and global environmental impacts that come with mobility such as global warming and CO2 emissions." Landhaeusser discussed ongoing Bosch developments geared towards cleaner and more efficient diesel vehicles at the country’s first Energy Efficiency Forum on July 14 at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza.
There are currently more than six million registered vehicles in the country among which some two million run on diesel engines. Bosch estimates that 65 percent of the country’s diesel vehicles run on Bosch diesel components. While testament to the company’s expertise in the fields of internal combustion, engine management and exhaust-gas treatment, statistics also underline the company’s responsibility to ensure that these engines run well.
"As both economic and social sustainability criteria need to be met, the Bosch Group is working on future automotive solutions that are environmentally sustainable," said Landhaeusser who has over 10 years of collective experience in automotive research, vehicle diagnostics and diesel systems.
While climate change risks grow, it is critical for governments to take decisive action in ensuring the quality of air that its people would breathe. The Philippine Government, for instance, has enacted the Clean Air Act into law - a landmark legislation to put in place a comprehensive air quality management policy and program for the Philippines.
But the Clean Air Law – while realizing improvements in the country’s air quality - has yet to fully address a significant source of the air pollution problem: the transportation sector, whose usage of fossil fuels brings about the pollutants that cause health problems. As new and cleaner technologies are found to be effective, it is important for governments to find ways to use these to ensure air quality.
Bosch has further established its competence in energy efficiency when it introduced the first Commonrail Diesel Injectors that provide cleaner and more efficient combustion to a car’s fuel. Since then, Bosch has produced more than 33 million commonrail systems.