NOx reductions by Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) Technology and

the Euro 5/6 Emissions Legislation

The Euro 5 proposal

In December 2005 the European Commission released the socalled Euro 5 proposal1, a regulation laying down common
standards and limit values for emissions of pollutants nitrogen
oxides (NOx) and particulate matters (PMs) in particular from
new passenger cars and light commercial vehicles.
In its proposal for the Euro 5 regulation, the Commission states
that ...the Commission wished to avoid an obligation for installing
an additional NOx after-treatment system at this stage. As the
technology for further NOx reduction is not yet mature, it is
therefore proposed not to reduce NOx emissions beyond the 200
mg/km limit value.
DeNOx technologies

Why deNOx?
Nitrogen oxides (NOx) are
pollutants harmful both to the
environment and human health.
When NOx reacts with volatile
organic compounds (VOCs),
ground level ozone is formed which
again contributes to smog.
Ozone causes a range of health
problems ranging from respiratory
illnesses to premature mortality.
NOx is also a major contributor to
acid rain.
Road vehicles represented 46% of

There are mainly two technologies that efficiently reduce

all NOx emissions in EU15 in 2001,
emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) from diesel engines: i) NOx
according to the European
Adsorbers (also called NOx traps) and ii) selective catalytic
Environmental Agency (EEA).
reduction technology (SCR) with aqueous urea. NOx Adsorbers
store the nitrogen oxides chemically in a NOx trap before reducing
them intermittently by running the engine in rich mode. The SCR technology uses a catalytic converter,
which, by injecting aqueous urea into the exhaust system, converts the nitrogen oxides into nitrogen
and water, both harmless to the environment and human health.
The SCR is in most cases the preferred technology, as it has the potential to achieve 90+% NOx
reductions with no increase in the fuel consumption. Indeed, in addition to reducing NOx emissions,
experience with SCR in heavy duty vehicles shows fuel savings of between 5 and 7% 2. It is assumed
that substantial fuel savings can also be achieved in light duty vehicles and passenger cars. Lower
fuel consumption not only makes it cheaper for the consumer, but it also ensures lower CO2emissions, all at the same time as the emissions of NOx are reduced.
In contrast to what the Commission proposal states, the SCR technology is a mature technology that
efficiently reduces emissions of NOx from diesel cars. The technology is already widely in use in
heavy duty trucks across Europe. In addition, passenger cars and light duty vehicles with SCR
technology, from major brands like Mercedes Benz, are to be launched shortly on the US market due
to stricter NOx regulations in the US.
DeNOx protects both health and the environment
Road transport is a large net contributor to air pollution and the introduction of deNOx technologies
allows for EU countries to comply with the requirements of the Gothenburg Protocol and the objectives
under the Clean Air for Europe (CAFE) Programme. In addition to being hazardous to the
environment, NOx is a threat to human health, contributing to significant social costs. A recent study
1

The full name of the regulation is Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on
type approval of motor vehicles with respect to emissions and on access to vehicle repair information, amending
Directive 72/306/EEC and Directive ../../EC
2
Emission Control Technologies and the Euro 5/6 Emission Legislation, AECC,
http://www.aecc.be/en/Publications/Publications.html

from the Commission estimates that the average cost of damages in EU25 of NOx emission may
amount to 12,000 euro/tonne3.
Available technology on the market exported to the US
US legislation requires NOx limit values to be below 87 mg/km in all 50 states as of 2007, and several
car manufacturers, including European ones, are already announcing the launch of passenger cars
with after-treatment systems for deNOx.
In January of 2006 Mercedes-Benz/DaimlerChrysler unveiled two new diesel cars complying with the
new US standards, the E 320 BLUETEC and the Vision GL 320 BLUETEC, both utilizing SCR
technology. The E 320 will be launched for sales nationwide in the US in the fall of 2006 4.
DaimlerChrysler will offer passenger cars with SCR technology in the European market as of 2008 5.
Global harmonization?
US limit values for NOx are set to 87 mg/km as of 2007. In Japan, new regulation scheduled to go
into effect in 2009 will require NOx values from diesel cars not to exceed 80 mg/km. As EU
legislation stands today, clean diesel cars with after-treatment systems will not be required in the EU
until 2014. At the same time, European car companies will soon be exporting cars with deNOx aftertreatment technology to the US. As a region that has already experienced the benefits of regulatory
harmonization, it is surprising that the EU does not opt for setting similar standards to those of its
major trading partners especially in the field of environmental and human health protection, where
the EU is normally known for being the pioneer.
What is technically feasible in Europe?
The SCR technology is well established. Introducing deNOx after-treatment across the board in the
EU is a challenge due to the large number of diesel cars and models in Europe. However, the relevant
technology is at hand and a delay of introduction till 2014 (current proposal if Euro 6 is included as a
second step in Euro 5) is difficult to justify in light of what is happening in the US and Japan. It is
important to remember that almost half the diesel passenger vehicles certified for Euro 4 already meet
the proposed Euro 5 NOx limit values. Indeed, the best performing diesel vehicles currently in the
market have NOx emissions below 150 mg/km without after-treatment 6. Yara supports the inclusion of
a second step, the Euro 6, in the Euro 5 proposal, but recommends the Euro 6 standards to apply as
of 2010-2012.
Yara International is a multinational chemical company with headquarters in Oslo, Norway, that
manufactures air pollution mitigation products, particularly for emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx).
Yara employs 6800 people worldwide, mostly across Europe. Yara is committed to making a
difference as an Industry Shaper in matters of environmental applications.

Damages per tonne emission of PM2.5, NH3, SO2, NOx and VOCs from each EU25 Member State (excluding
Cyprus) and surrounding seas, March 2005, AEA Technology Environment,
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/air/cafe/activities/pdf/cafe_cba_externalities.pdf
4
http://www.daimlerchrysler.com/dccom/0,,0-5-7153-1-576246-1-0-0-0-0-0-243-7145-0-0-0-0-0-0-0,00.html and
http://www.dieselnet.com/news/2006/01daimler.php
5
Emission Control Technologies and the Euro 5/6 Emission Legislation, AECC,
http://www.aecc.be/en/Publications/Publications.html
6
International Council on Clean Transportation,
http://www.cleantransportcouncil.org/documents/Euro5_ICCT_2005.pdf