The 7th annual Global Commercial Vehicle Makers meeting in Brussels on Dec. 3 once again called for a harmonized, worldwide push toward cleaner fuels and emissions standards.

The pioneering California Air Resources Board low-carbon fuel standard (LCFS) scheme is expanding beyond the pending LCFS memo of understanding in U.S. Northeast states (see Diesel Fuel News 11/23/09), according to Washington, D.C.-based Consumer Energy Alliance regulatory/legislative tracking.

The U.S. House of Representatives last week voted 241-181 to approve a “tax extenders” bill (H. R. 4213) that extends the US$1 per gallon tax credit for fatty acid methyl ester biodiesel as well as all-hydrocarbon, hydrotreated vegetable or animal-fats “renewable diesel.”

California Air Resources Board (CARB) board members voted Dec. 9 to direct CARB staff to come up with a revised diesel truck and bus emissions clean-up rule early next year, accounting for the severe economic down-turn facing the goods-transport industry.

Associated General Contractors officials Dec. 8 unveiled an analysis of data from trend-setting California Air Resources Board indicating that because of massive, recession-caused cutbacks in construction, non-road diesel engines in California supposedly won’t need costly emissions retrofits until 2014.

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission officials recently announced they’ve brought fraud charges against California-based coal-to-biodiesel promoter Nova Gen.

If the U.S. Congress fails to finalize pending greenhouse gas legislation, then the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will plunge ahead with regulations anyway.

Researchers at Technische Universitaet Muenchen in Germany report they’ve developed a scheme for a diesel engine to achieve Euro-6 emissions limits without the use of catalytic exhaust emissions aftertreatment.

Bosch, Deutz and Eberspaecher officials jointly announced Dec. 10 that they’re teaming-up on diesel emissions-control packages for non-road and highway engines targeting 2011 (and later) regulatory limits in Europe, North America and Japan.

Chevron officials announced Dec. 8 that the company’s latest Delo heavy-duty diesel engine oil will be compatible with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 2010 emissions-compliant diesel engines, including those employing urea-selective catalytic reduction.

California-based algae fuel developer Solazyme and Illinois-based refinery technology provider UOP teamed-up to deliver a 100% Soladiesel fuel powering Mercedes diesel cars for delegates to the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, this week.

Integrated gasification combined cycle power could emerge as an option for more oil refiners facing steep cuts in carbon dioxide emissions in future years, according to a new analysis.

Government of Alberta, Canada, officials Nov. 24 announced they have signed a letter of intent with Enhance Energy and North West Upgrading to build a 240-kilometer carbon dioxide pipeline system for future carbon capture and storage projects in the province.