Beijing will introduce new fuel standards on May 31 to reduce sulfur dioxide emissions from 50 to 10 milligrams per kilo.
According to a report in China Daily, these new fuel standards are nearly on par with the European Union’s Euro V fuel standards, said to be among the strictest in the world.
«The new Beijing V standard fuel, once implemented, will greatly reduce the amount of pollutants in the air, including the PM 2.5, (particulate matter with a diameter smaller than 2.5 micrometers) and improve the city’s air quality,» said Li Kunsheng, director of the Beijing Environmental Bureau’s vehicle management department. «The capital will become the first in the nation to meet the benchmark.»
In order to ensure that everybody meets these standards, even drivers from outside the city will be required by law to pump the Beijing V standard fuel when coming into the capital.
The new fuel has less sulfur, a major pollutant. The cleaner fuel will increase engine efficiency and reduce its consumption, Mr. Li says.
Experiments done by China Automotive Technology and Research Center found that the new fuel is capable of cutting pollutant emissions by 15 percent.
However this new fuel could incur increased costs, though the price of fuel will not be raised in the coming half year, says Fu Xingguo, an engineer at Sinopec Corp, China’s largest oil refiner.
Mr. Fu adds that 56.5 percent of last year’s exported oil had high sulfur content, but he says Sinopec and China National Petroleum Corporation have mastered the technologies of petroleum refining, with the country’s oil processing capacity reaching 450 million tons in the year 2011.
«However, we are still challenged by the shortage of crude oil resources for the moment,» he said.
With around 5 million vehicles and 10 million registered drivers on the road, Beijing has seen vehicle emissions rise in the past few years to become the largest contributor to air pollution in the city.
Experts believe that improving fuel quality and emission standards in the city are key to approving the air quality. – EcoSeed Staff
