Dometic’s Green HVAC Technology Improves Fuel Economy and Reduces Air Pollution by Eliminating Engine Idling
RICHMOND, Va. – April 2, 2009 – Dometic Automotive, a Richmond-based manufacturing company, was awarded the Virginia Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award for Manufacturers yesterday evening for the company’s efforts to reduce engine idling in the U.S. trucking industry.
The awards ceremony took place at the 19th annual Environment Virginia Symposium held at Virginia Military Institute (VMI) in Lexington, Va. Accepting the award for Dometic Automotive was senior vice president Lou Siegel.
The award recognized Dometic’s pioneering work in developing a battery-powered auxiliary air conditioning system that keeps the driver comfortable without idling the truck’s engine. The company’s batterybased solution eliminates the need for running the main engine, or a separate diesel generator to operate an auxiliary air conditioning system. This achieves important reductions in fuel consumption and harmful emissions of exhaust fumes into the air.
“The engineering goal for this project was to design, build, test and prove a commercially viable system that would provide a comfortable environment for the driver while achieving 100 percent elimination of fuel consumption and air pollution from truck idling,” said Siegel. “I am delighted to accept this award on behalf of a very dedicated team that worked hard to make this totally clean idle-reduction technology possible.”
In the past, truck drivers have been accustomed to running the main engine at idle speeds to keep the sleeper or cab comfortable during federally mandated rest stops or while waiting to pick up or discharge loads.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, idling consumes approximately three billion gallons of fuel and produces 180,000 tons of nitrous oxide, 5,000 tons of particulate matter and 7.6 million tons of carbon dioxide nationwide each year.
“Virginia’s I-81, I-64 and I-95 interstate corridors are among the nation’s busiest in terms of truck traffic. Virginia’s highway rest areas and truck stops are packed with vehicles day and night, and Virginia’s ports and warehousing/distribution facilities are used by thousands of trucks each year,” said Rick Weeks, chief deputy of the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. “As this technology is widely deployed, Virginians all across the Commonwealth will breathe cleaner air due to the dramatic reduction in truck idling.”
The Governor’s Environmental Excellence Awards are supported by the Virginia governor, secretary of Natural Resources, Department of Environmental Quality, Department of Conservation and Recreation, and other partner organizations, including the Virginia Manufacturers Association and Dominion. This awards program encourages Virginia companies, organizations and individuals to implement the Commonwealth’s pollution prevention policy and to practice excellent environmental stewardship by recognizing outstanding efforts in these areas each year.
About Dometic AutomotiveDometic Corporation’s Automotive business group is a leading international supplier of mobile refrigeration, power supply systems, electronics, automotive comfort systems and air conditioning for OEM and aftermarket customers. It includes the extensive WAECO product lines, acquired by Dometic in 2007. In the U.S., Dometic is a major supplier of air conditioners, refrigerators and freezers for the trucking industry, with
headquarters and manufacturing facilities in Richmond, Va.
About Dometic GroupDometic Group is a customer-driven, world-leading provider of leisure products for the RV, automotive, truck and marine markets. We supply the industry and aftermarket with a complete range of air conditioners, refrigerators, awnings, cookers, sanitation systems, lighting, mobile power equipment, comfort and safety solutions, windows, doors and other equipment that make life more comfortable away from home.
Dometic Group supplies a wide range of workshop equipment for service and maintenance of built-in air conditioners. Dometic Group also provides specially designed refrigerators for hotel rooms, offices, wine storage and transport and storage of medical products.
Our products are sold in almost 100 countries and are produced mainly in wholly-owned production facilities around the world.