Clear run for new product

Tauranga-based Ballance Agri-Nutrients has launched a new urea-based product that enables modern trucks to run cleaner and greener.
The farmer-owned co-operative has started manufacturing GoClear at its Taranaki ammonia-urea plant to convert pollutant heavy truck exhaust gases into harmless components of water vapour and nitrogen gas.
By law all new heavy trucks imported into New Zealand have to meet the Euro 4 emissions standards, and nearly all heavy truck manufacturers use such a solution, known as Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR), to achieve compliance.
"GoClear is an exhaust system additive and scrubbing agent that is part of the new diesel engine technology that significantly reduces nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from diesel engines," said Ballance chief executive, Larry Bilodeau.
"It's a great tie-in with new technology that utilises urea from our production process at Kapuni," he said.
Ballance has invested $1.5 million on this new SCR solution, including $500,000 on specialist analytical equipment, so it can produce the product to the international standard specifications demanded by modern diesel truck manufacturers.
Most European manufacturers, including Volvo, Mercedes, Scania, DAF and Iveco, use SCR, as does Mack in the United States.
The SCR solution is added at 4-6 per cent the rate of diesel, depending on the make of truck.
With complex technical modifications to its plant, Ballance can now take urea solution upstream from the granulator and process this to create a precise solution of high-purity aqueous urea. Ballance is producing GoClear for the two main distributors in New Zealand, chemical companies Yara and Orica. Until now, the product had to be imported.
"This is a very difficult product to make and it is a big step forward. We are very excited by its potential as the heavy truck fleet moves progressively into SCR technology," said Mr Bilodeau. The ability to produce SCR solution locally also reduces the environmental footprint of the product, given that all supplies at present are imported from international sources.
"This will shorten the supply chain on this product significantly and create an exciting new income stream for the company," said Mr Bilodeau. "With Ballance providing a locally produced substitute for an imported product, we are also strengthening the security of supply in a rapidly growing international market."
Mr Bilodeau said the environmental contribution will become more marked as the new truck fleet grows year on year. For example, Fonterra has recently taken delivery of scores of new Volvo trucks fitted with SCR technology and intends to buy more.
"Ballance is serious about supporting environmentally sustainable practices," he said. "GoClear equates to an environmental effectiveness factor of greater than 100 times. That is, for each kg of NOx [nitrogen oxide] produced in the manufacture of GoClear, greater than 100kg of NOx are converted to N2 by the use of GoClear."
Since January 1, 2009, all imported trucks coming into New Zealand must meet the Euro 4 emissions standard. As the emissions standards are increasing - the Euro 5 standards were introduced in Europe in July 2008 - the SCR technology appears to be becoming more popular.
New Zealand is expected to move to the Euro 5 standard in 2012.
The Japanese emission standard moved to Japan 05 earlier this year. This standard has more of a focus on nitrous oxide reduction, and Japanese manufacturers are now looking to introduce SCR technology on their heavy truck engines.
There is also a future for the technology outside of the trucking fleet. Mazda's sport utility vehicle, the CX-7, was the first passenger vehicle produced by a Japanese automaker to be equipped with an SCR system.
The 2011 market for SCR solution in New Zealand is about 1 million litres, but will grow as the heavy truck fleet is renewed.
Ballance forecasts the market to grow by 30 per cent year on year. Its Kapuni GoClear facility can meet current demand six times over.