Clean vehicle retrofit scheme provides key component of UK government AQ plan

Developed jointly by the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership (LowCVP) and the Energy Saving Trust (EST) together with industry stakeholders through funding and support from the DEFRA/DfT Joint Air Quality Unit (JAQU), the just-launched Clean Vehicle Retrofit Accreditation Scheme (CVRAS) aims to provide the provide the backbone of future retrofit funding for vehicle emission control systems. By providing a single standard for any emission technology to be validated to meet the standards set out in the government’
August 4, 2017 Read time: 2 mins

Developed jointly by the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership (LowCVP) and the Energy Saving Trust (EST) together with industry stakeholders through funding and support from the DEFRA/DfT Joint Air Quality Unit (JAQU), the just-launched Clean Vehicle Retrofit Accreditation Scheme (CVRAS) aims to provide the backbone of future retrofit funding for vehicle emission control systems.

By providing a single standard for any emission technology to be validated to meet the standards set out in the government’s Clean Air Zone Framework for England, the scheme will enable the existing fleet of urban vehicles (initially buses, but extending rapidly to a wide range of vehicles) to be fitted with proven emission control solutions.
 
Larger vehicles (buses, vans and HGVs) contribute over half of UK national average roadside concentration of nitrogen dioxide, according to Defra's AQ analysis. Next year the Government will publish a comprehensive Clean Air Strategy which will address other sources of air pollution.
 
The Clean Vehicle Retrofit Accreditation Scheme will provide independent evidence that a vehicle retrofit technology will deliver the expected emissions reductions and air quality benefits in real world operation. It will enable drivers, technology manufacturers, businesses and local authorities to be confident that properly verified and accredited technologies provide the appropriate emissions reductions to meet the standards in the government’s Clean Air Zone Framework for England.
 
The initial objectives of the scheme are to develop a set of test protocols (using the existing bus and commercial vehicle technology evaluation schemes as starting points) to accredit retrofit technologies which will deliver on road emission levels equivalent to. Euro VI/6, based on the best available data and representative operating cycles.
 
The retrofit accreditation process will be technology-neutral and designed to allow all potential suppliers of eligible, credible emission reduction technology to apply for accreditation.
 
Technologies already potentially identified and in common use include: SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction) fitted to exhaust systems, hybrid powertrain systems and engine repowers with gas (LPG or CNG). New technologies will need to provide robust, independent relevant test data of the performance, prior to being considered for CVRAS accreditation.

Air Quality & Weather Systems

Related Content

  • October 22, 2015
    LowCVP calls on truck operators and others to focus on cutting truck emissions
    To coincide with its participation in the new Freight in the City event on 27 October, the LowCVP is calling on fleet operators, local authorities and others to join forces in building the market for heavy goods vehicles which cut carbon, reduce emissions and lower fuel costs. In earlier research, the LowCVP has identified three main opportunities for cutting emissions from HGVs which pointed to the need for specific interventions: independent testing to validate the effectiveness of retrofit technology
    Read More
  • February 12, 2016
    New LowCVP report: The Journey of the Green Bus
    A new report by the LowCVP for Greener Journeys describes The Journey of the Green Bus; how innovation and supportive policy over the last decade and more has transformed the bus sector from being a part of the problem to being an important part of the solution to poor urban air quality as well as contributing to tackling climate change.
    Read More
  • September 29, 2017
    UK introduces grants for low-emission retrofit bus fleets
    The UK government have set up a £30 million grant scheme for local authorities in England and Wales looking to fit bus fleets with an accredited and cost-effective retrofit program that enables emissions-reductions. The Clean Vehicle Retrofit Accreditation Scheme, developed by LowCVP and Energy Saving Trust, follows an evaluation report presented by LowCVP on findings from two public grant programmes that used retrofit technologies over a five-year period -- the clean Vehicle
    Read More
  • July 27, 2017
    UK Government Air Quality Plan – call for funding for FCEVs
    Following the release of the UK Government’s final Air Quality Plan, in which it announced that it will ban all petrol and diesel vehicles (including hybrids) from 2040, ITM Power says this represents an historic first step towards cleaner and greener transport in the UK. However, it is calling on the UK Government to provide equivalent financial support for fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV) infrastructure as it has already provided for plug-in battery electric vehicle (BEV) infrastructure. The company, wh
    Read More

Highlighted Content