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Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel Benefits

Although petroleum-based ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) is not an alternative fuel, it provides important environmental and fuel-saving benefits. ULSD produced from non-petroleum and renewable sources is even more advantageous. The following are benefits of ULSD:

  • Ultra-low sulfur diesel enables use of advanced emission control technologies on light-duty and heavy-duty diesel vehicles.

    • ULSD enables use of catalytic converters and particulate traps that nearly eliminate emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM), pollutants that are linked to serious health problems.

    • Emission reductions from use of Clean Diesel (ULSD combined with advanced emission control technologies) will be equivalent to removing the pollution from more than 90% of today's trucks and buses, when the current heavy-duty vehicle fleet has been completely replaced in 2030.

    • ULSD will enable light-duty diesel vehicles to meet the same strict emissions standards as light-duty gasoline vehicles.

  • Diesel engines are 20-40% more efficient than comparable gasoline engines.

    • The availability of low-emission light-duty diesel cars and trucks fueled with ULSD is likely to put more diesel vehicles on the road.

    • Replacing some gasoline vehicles with diesel vehicles will result in reduced U.S. petroleum fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions.

  • Ultra-low sulfur diesel uses existing fueling infrastructure and works with existing engine and vehicle technologies.

  • Inherently ultra-low sulfur biodiesel, biomass-to-liquids diesel, coal-to-liquids diesel, gas-to-liquids diesel, and hydrogenation-derived renewable diesel provide additional environmental, energy security, and economic benefits.

For more about the benefits of ULSD, visit the Diesel Technology Forum and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's National Clean Diesel Campaign, which includes a Diesel Emissions Quantifier that estimates emission-reduction benefits of fleet ULSD use.