Re: [MBZ] today's "Daily Reckoning" - contrarian investing newsletter - diesel exhaust tech.
German Audi A3 diesel owned by a friend has particle trap. Computer raises exhaust temp to some incredible level every so many hours and burns the particulates off, then back to normal. So the particle problem appears to have been solved, in Germany anyway. Not clear how Corning filter reduces NOx. Oil industry analyst wrote the Washington Post not long ago to say that the push toward diesel autos is a problem because there is no excess refining capacity in the US, so diesel will become more expensive than gas for the foreseeable future if more and more autos go that route. Can't recall if this letter got posted to the list or not. Karl in DC Christopher McCann <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: The Sweet Smell of Diesel Written by Justice Litle Edited by Eric Fry More than a century has passed since Ransom Eli Olds introduced the first mass-production vehicle, the Curved Dash Oldsmobile, in 1901. (Ford was hot on his heels.) A hundred years later, developments in automotive technology have not slowed down. Electronic gadgets may capture most of the "Ooohs" and "Ahhhs" at auto shows, but these modern marvels are of small consequence compared to what's happening under the hood...and inside the tailpipe. Corning Inc. the "fiber optic company" has developed an exhaust-filtration technology that could dramatically boost demand for diesel- powered vehicles. This is a long-term play on an exciting, and perhaps inevitable, development in the automotive world. Even without Corning's innovative exhaust filter, diesel is superior to conventional gasoline in two key respects: It releases 15-20% less (CO2) per mile driven than regular gasoline and gets about 30% more miles to the gallon. These advantages were long hidden by a few nasty drawbacks. The diesel engines of old were loud, dirty and smelly. You could hear a diesel truck coming from a quarter mile away, see the soot half a block away and smell the exhaust as it rolled past. But after years of research and refinement, the vast majority of diesel's problems have been licked. European refineries have long since removed the sulfur from their diesel production, allowing for a sharp reduction in smell and smoke. And the rising price of gasoline has made fuel efficiency all the more important, offsetting the extra cost of building a diesel engine. These elements give diesel an edge in capturing global market share. But diesel also benefits from a much bigger, and potentially decisive, factor: the existence of petroleum alternatives. As it turns out, you don't need crude oil to make diesel. You can make it from coal, plant mass, cooking oil or even spare turkey parts (a small refinery in Missouri turns gobblers into fuel, cranking out hundreds of barrels per day). Biodiesel has taken off in Europe: Germany is in the lead, raising output 40-50% a year. Drivers love biodiesel, because it saves them money at the pump; governments love biodiesel because it offers justification - partial at least - for the countless billions gone to farm subsidies. It seems diesel can be made from just about anything with semi-organic origins. If you run a restaurant or a cafeteria, you may be tempted to invest in a cooking oil converter kit; this handy kit lets you deep fry a batch of potatoes and later reuse the oil in your delivery truck. All well and good. But the final hurdle for diesel dominance can be summed up in a three-letter word: "NOx." Short for nitrous oxide, NOx is one of the soot-causing pollutants emitted by diesel engines. While engineers have figured out how to thoroughly "scrub" diesel exhaust through the use of catalytic converters and particle traps, getting out the last bit of NOx has been tricky. In embracing diesel so many years ago, Europe chose to make a tradeoff - accepting the downside of NOx-type particulates in exchange for lower CO2 emissions and greater fuel efficiency. Now both continents face a challenge: the high hurdle of tightened emissions regulations. "By 2007, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will require a 90% reduction in the amount of soot," Forbes reports. "Between 2007 and 2010 the agency also mandates a phased 92% reduction in the amount of NOx emitted from a truck's tailpipe." Europe has committed itself to a similar mandate. The American trucking industry, which depends on diesel, is in a tizzy. A 92% NOx reduction is no small thing, and yesterday's pollution technology is not quite up to snuff. Tailpipes must be upgraded; the entire trucking industry must find a way to comply by the EPA deadline. This is where opportunity comes into focus...He who slays the NOx dragon wins the fair maiden's hand: the lucrative exhaust- filtration market. Corning to continue the metaphor may be the lucky knight-in-shining armor. This 150-year-old company has enjoyed a long history of maverick innovation. Its intense focus on res
Re: [MBZ] today's "Daily Reckoning" - contrarian investing newsletter - diesel exhaust tech.
Hey, something local! I live about 5 minutes from Corning and the diesel plant. I used to work for them at some other plants until a few years ago when the dot com bust made the company DROP (right before they started building the diesel plant). I was there when stock was more than $300 a share. Then I got let go when it was around $10 a share, and then it was under $1 at one point. Hmm... Maybe I should get a job back at the diesel plant. I met a couple old friends from there who are now working at the Diesel plant and said they could use some good IT support... (: Levi On 1/10/06, Alex Chamberlain <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Great catch, Cristopher. I've held Corning stock for a couple of > years now, ever since I heard they were working on this diesel > filtration tech. (I've been convinced diesel was eventually going to > come back into fashion in the US since I first drove a VW TDI in > 2000.) Seen the stock go from $9/share to over $20. I expect the > price to increase by a factor of ten in a few more years if Corning > really has what they say they have. Buy now! (But don't listen to a > stock tip from me or anyone else. *wink*) > > Alex Chamberlain > '87 300D Turbo > >
Re: [MBZ] today's "Daily Reckoning" - contrarian investing newsletter - diesel exhaust tech.
Great catch, Cristopher. I've held Corning stock for a couple of years now, ever since I heard they were working on this diesel filtration tech. (I've been convinced diesel was eventually going to come back into fashion in the US since I first drove a VW TDI in 2000.) Seen the stock go from $9/share to over $20. I expect the price to increase by a factor of ten in a few more years if Corning really has what they say they have. Buy now! (But don't listen to a stock tip from me or anyone else. *wink*) Alex Chamberlain '87 300D Turbo
[MBZ] today's "Daily Reckoning" - contrarian investing newsletter - diesel exhaust tech.
The Sweet Smell of Diesel Written by Justice Litle Edited by Eric Fry More than a century has passed since Ransom Eli Olds introduced the first mass-production vehicle, the Curved Dash Oldsmobile, in 1901. (Ford was hot on his heels.) A hundred years later, developments in automotive technology have not slowed down. Electronic gadgets may capture most of the "Ooohs" and "Ahhhs" at auto shows, but these modern marvels are of small consequence compared to what's happening under the hood...and inside the tailpipe. Corning Inc. the "fiber optic company" has developed an exhaust-filtration technology that could dramatically boost demand for diesel- powered vehicles. This is a long-term play on an exciting, and perhaps inevitable, development in the automotive world. Even without Corning's innovative exhaust filter, diesel is superior to conventional gasoline in two key respects: It releases 15-20% less (CO2) per mile driven than regular gasoline and gets about 30% more miles to the gallon. These advantages were long hidden by a few nasty drawbacks. The diesel engines of old were loud, dirty and smelly. You could hear a diesel truck coming from a quarter mile away, see the soot half a block away and smell the exhaust as it rolled past. But after years of research and refinement, the vast majority of diesel's problems have been licked. European refineries have long since removed the sulfur from their diesel production, allowing for a sharp reduction in smell and smoke. And the rising price of gasoline has made fuel efficiency all the more important, offsetting the extra cost of building a diesel engine. These elements give diesel an edge in capturing global market share. But diesel also benefits from a much bigger, and potentially decisive, factor: the existence of petroleum alternatives. As it turns out, you don't need crude oil to make diesel. You can make it from coal, plant mass, cooking oil or even spare turkey parts (a small refinery in Missouri turns gobblers into fuel, cranking out hundreds of barrels per day). Biodiesel has taken off in Europe: Germany is in the lead, raising output 40-50% a year. Drivers love biodiesel, because it saves them money at the pump; governments love biodiesel because it offers justification - partial at least - for the countless billions gone to farm subsidies. It seems diesel can be made from just about anything with semi-organic origins. If you run a restaurant or a cafeteria, you may be tempted to invest in a cooking oil converter kit; this handy kit lets you deep fry a batch of potatoes and later reuse the oil in your delivery truck. All well and good. But the final hurdle for diesel dominance can be summed up in a three-letter word: "NOx." Short for nitrous oxide, NOx is one of the soot-causing pollutants emitted by diesel engines. While engineers have figured out how to thoroughly "scrub" diesel exhaust through the use of catalytic converters and particle traps, getting out the last bit of NOx has been tricky. In embracing diesel so many years ago, Europe chose to make a tradeoff - accepting the downside of NOx-type particulates in exchange for lower CO2 emissions and greater fuel efficiency. Now both continents face a challenge: the high hurdle of tightened emissions regulations. "By 2007, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will require a 90% reduction in the amount of soot," Forbes reports. "Between 2007 and 2010 the agency also mandates a phased 92% reduction in the amount of NOx emitted from a truck's tailpipe." Europe has committed itself to a similar mandate. The American trucking industry, which depends on diesel, is in a tizzy. A 92% NOx reduction is no small thing, and yesterday's pollution technology is not quite up to snuff. Tailpipes must be upgraded; the entire trucking industry must find a way to comply by the EPA deadline. This is where opportunity comes into focus...He who slays the NOx dragon wins the fair maiden's hand: the lucrative exhaust- filtration market. Corning to continue the metaphor may be the lucky knight-in-shining armor. This 150-year-old company has enjoyed a long history of maverick innovation. Its intense focus on research and development, combined with a willingness to take risks on new ideas, is woven into the fabric of the company. In testament to its research prowess, the town of Corning, N.Y., challenges Los Alamos, N.M., for the highest number of Ph.D.s per capita in the world. (Sometimes that's a good thing). From the mundane to the exotic, Corning is widely known for its glass products. The company has done groundbreaking work in everything from light bulbs, Pyrex dishes and test tube beakers to space shuttle windows, missile nose cones and spy satellites. Although most folks know Corning as the leading pioneer of fiber optic technology, the company has also pioneered environmental technologies
