Cummins Inc. has announced that it will bring to market a natural gas engine for heavy-duty trucks, which the company said is part of an expanding portfolio of products it hopes will help achieve its climate goals.
The Columbus-based company said Thursday that the 15-liter engine could be paired with a fully integrated natural gas powertrain, which could be credited with a negative carbon index “when powered with renewable natural gas.”
Renewable natural gas is made from organic waste material, including animal manure, solid waste, landfills, and is then purified, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
“Cummins continues to expand our portfolio of power solutions options so customers can meet their business goals and operational objectives, while also meeting emissions standards and achieving their sustainability goals,” said Srikanth Padmanabhan, Cummins president of engine business, in a statement. “We believe this natural gas option is a game changer as a cost-competitive power option to existing diesel powertrains in heavy-duty trucking, making it a great complement to reduce CO2 emissions.”
Cummins says the engine is part of a strategy focusing on new powertrains, including advanced diesel, natural gas, hydrogen engines, hybrids, battery electric and fuel cells, along with an increased use of low carbon fuels and renewable electricity and related infrastructure.
The expanding product lineup will help achieve Cummins’ PLANET 2050 environmental goals, which include lowering emissions from newly sold products by 30% by 2030 and a goal of carbon neutrality by 2050, the company said.
The engine is also the basis for the recently announced hydrogen internal combustion engine that is currently being tested, Padmanabhan said.
