Arctic Sea Ice Decline
Monday December 11, 2006
Reports in the news today state that the Arctic Sea could be free of ice as early as 2040. Previous studies have predicted that the summers could be ice free by 2060 or another model suggested by the year 2015. An article published in the Dec. 12 issue of Geophysical Research Letters indicates the 2040 date based upon current levels of greenhouse gas emissions.
The trucking industry is under pressure to curb greenhouse emissions. Federal mandates are requiring cleaner burning diesel engines. Several states have passed idling laws that limit the time a driver my idle their engine. For over the road driver, the engine idle provides the power for heat in the winter and cooling in the summer. Idle laws and the cost of fuel have forced companies to find other alternatives.
One such alternative is the small auxiliary engine and generator power unit similar to that found on a motor home. These units can add $6000 or more to the price of a tractor. The cost is recouped in decreased fuel costs and maintenance costs on the primary tractor engine. On average a diesel in a commercial truck will burn about 1 gallon per hour at idle. For a driver taking the federally mandated 10 hour rest break, this can represent a cost of about $30 per truck for the driver to have heat and cooling. Since trucks operate in all areas of the continent in all seasons it is often a matter of survival that the driver is able to maintain livable temperatures in the truck while resting. A company with a thousand power units, each with a 10 hour rest period with engine idle per day would spend about $25,000 per day on diesel at $2.50 per gallon. This represents a sizeable expense and a lot of emissions into the atmosphere. Auxiliary power units are a good investment for the companies and the environment.