March 21, 2007

 Cummins Approves B20 Biodiesel Blends for Engines
National Biodiesel Board Applauds Cummins for Biodiesel Support

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.– Biodiesel supporters have another reason to cheer as Cummins Inc. today announced approval of the use of a 20% blend of biodiesel (B20) in many of its engines. The B20 approval is for 2002 and later emissions-compliant ISX, ISM, ISL, ISC and ISB engines, including recently released 2007 products. The announcement provides Cummins customers greater support when using B20.

The engines approved for B20 are used to power a wide range of vehicles including medium and heavy duty trucks, motor homes, school buses, fire and emergency vehicles, and urban buses and shuttles. The announcement is likely to help Cummins grow its truck engine market share by meeting consumer demand through B20 support.

“Cummins’ announcement is a major milestone for diesel equipment-maker acceptance of biodiesel,” said Steve Howell, National Biodiesel Board (NBB) Technical Director. “Cummins is among the leaders in the on-highway truck engine market. As knowledgeable consumers add ‘support for B20’ in their purchasing decisions for diesel vehicles, the smart companies are taking advantage of that and issuing B20 support as a way to capture this growing sentiment for using fuels we don’t have to import.”

Cummins decided to upgrade its previous position on the use of biodiesel fuel, which limited the recommended use to B5, for three key reasons:

• The American Society of Testing Materials specification ASTM D 6751 now includes an important stability specification for B100 biodiesel.

• The availability of quality fuels from BQ-9000 Certified Marketers and Accredited Producers is growing rapidly.

• Cummins has completed the necessary testing and evaluations to ensure that customers can reliably operate their equipment with confidence using high quality B20 fuel.

“We have completed exhaustive analysis and test evaluations which enable Cummins to provide the necessary guidance and information to our customers for the proper and successful use of this fuel in our engine,” said Edward Lyford-Pike, Chief Engineer - Advanced Alternative Fuel Programs, in a Cummins news release. “This will enable our customers to have a choice that includes renewable fuel.”

The popularity and use of biodiesel fuel continues to climb. Cummins officials say the company will continue its efforts to ensure that future products will be compatible with biodiesel fuels, and will continue to participate in industry efforts aimed at the development of consistent quality throughout the biodiesel industry.

All major Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) support B5 and lower blends, provided they are made with biodiesel meeting ASTM D 6751, the existing ASTM standard for pure biodiesel (B100). Use of blends higher than B5 will not necessarily void existing warranties. A growing number of OEMs are also recommending or requiring that users purchase biodiesel from BQ-9000 certified companies. BQ-9000 is the biodiesel industry’s quality control program for biodiesel producers and marketers.

Headquartered in Columbus, Indiana, Cummins serves customers in more than 160 countries through its network of 550 company-owned and independent distributor facilities and more than 5,000 dealer locations. Cummins reported net income of $715 million on sales of $11.4 billion in 2006.
 

©2005 Hale Hill Farm Biofuels dba Certificate w/ Town of Branford