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On November 16, reporters learned from Sinopec that the central China production facility for Sinopec’s Yuetai Hailong diesel vehicle exhaust treatment fluid was officially put into operation on November 12 in Zaoyang, Hubei, marking the establishment of the largest production base for such exhaust treatment fluid in the central China region in Hubei. At present, the project’s annual production capacity is 100,000 tons, and it will reach 300,000 tons once Phase 2 is completed. Diesel vehicles that use exhaust treatment fluids to meet the National IV emission standards emit 41.7% less nitrogen oxides (NOX) and 89.7% less particulate matter (PM) compared to diesel vehicles that meet the National III emission standards. It is reported that this project is a key initiative signed by Sinopec and Hubei Province at the \"Hubei-Central State Enterprises Symposium on Promoting the Development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt\". Through the joint efforts of both parties, the project was brought online in just 82 days, setting a new \"Hubei speed\". Previously, in March of this year, Sinopec launched the large-scale public welfare initiative \"Clear Waters and Blue Skies,\" providing free refilling of 800,000 barrels of exhaust treatment fluid for diesel vehicles that meet or exceed National Standard IV, in order to draw society’s attention to the issue of emission reduction from diesel vehicles, encourage them to accelerate their upgrading process, and make a positive contribution to building a beautiful China. Emissions from heavy-duty diesel vehicles are a top priority in the management of motor vehicles. In recent years, through a series of measures to upgrade fuel quality and control vehicle exhaust emissions, automobile exhaust emissions in our country have seen significant improvement. However, exhaust pollution from heavy-duty diesel vehicles remains severe. According to the Ministry of Environmental Protection’s Annual Report on the Prevention and Control of Pollution from Motor Vehicles in China (2013), heavy-duty diesel vehicles account for only 5.6% of the total vehicle fleet, yet their emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOX) and particulate matter (PM) constitute 67.7% and 78% of the total vehicle emissions respectively. In other words, heavy-duty diesel vehicles are the main source of NOX and PM emissions among motor vehicles. According to a notice issued by the **Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, as of January 1, 2015, newly produced and sold heavy-duty diesel vehicles must meet the National IV emission standards. In other words, starting from New Year’s Day this year, diesel vehicles that meet the National Standard 3 (engine) requirements will no longer be allowed to be sold or registered. At present, all Sinopec gas stations in Hubei Province are selling \"National IV\" diesel. Compared to the National III diesel standard, National IV diesel for vehicles reduces pollutant emissions by about 50%, with inhalable particulate emissions decreasing by over 80%. However, at present, trucks meeting the ‘National Standard 3’ or lower standards still account for a large proportion of those on the roads in Hubei Province; even when using diesel that meets the ‘National Standard 4’ requirements, it is difficult to significantly reduce the emission of harmful substances in exhaust gases. The promotion and current usage of vehicle urea solutions determine whether National IV standards can be truly implemented and what the actual outcomes of such implementation will be. It is understood that at present, the phasing out of diesel vehicles meeting National Standard 3 and below is slow, while the proportion of diesel vehicles meeting National Standard 4 and above is low. To significantly reduce the emission of harmful substances in exhaust gases, heavy-duty diesel vehicles employ two main technical approaches worldwide, based on engine upgrades: one is selective catalytic reduction (SCR), and the other is exhaust gas recirculation + particulate filter (EGR+DPF). The advantage of SCR is that it first burns and eliminates particulate matter (PM) within the engine under high temperature and pressure, and then addresses nitrogen oxides (NOX) using diesel exhaust treatment fluids; it also improves fuel efficiency, making it the main technical approach adopted by automobile manufacturers in China. In the SCR technology, which is the mainstream approach used in our country to upgrade diesel engines to meet National IV emission standards, the use of vehicle-grade urea solution is key to enabling vehicles to comply with these standards. The head of Sinopec Sales Hubei Petroleum Branch said that exhaust pollution from heavy-duty diesel vehicles is particularly severe among motor vehicles, and accelerating measures to address it is an urgent task. Diesel vehicles meeting National IV emission standards have had their engines upgraded and incorporate the “revolutionary” SCR technology, which is of particular importance for reducing vehicle exhaust pollution. If diesel vehicles from Tier 3 and earlier are compared to cooking in an iron pot, then no matter how tightly the lid is sealed, fumes will still be emitted, that is, exhaust pollution. Diesel engine models that meet or exceed the National IV emission standards follow a different approach; it’s like a pressure cooker. The two main pollutants – particulate matter (PM) – are eliminated within the engine through high temperature and pressure, while nitrogen oxides (NOX) are reduced using exhaust treatment fluids, thereby rendering them harmless and enabling compliance with National IV or even National V emission standards. At 75 years old this year, Qiao Yingbin, a seasoned chemical engineer who has long been engaged in research on exhaust treatment fluids for diesel vehicles, is calling for policy incentives to accelerate the upgrading of such vehicles. He said that the nitrogen oxide (NOX) emissions from National IV heavy-duty diesel vehicles are 30% lower than those of National III heavy-duty diesel vehicles, while particulate matter PM emissions are reduced by 80%. However, the proportion of National IV diesel vehicles is still very low at present; it is necessary to study and establish subsidy policies for the replacement of National IV heavy-duty diesel vehicles in order to accelerate the phasing out of old diesel vehicles and significantly reduce diesel vehicle exhaust pollution. At the same time, relevant enterprises are urged to ensure the production and supply of diesel vehicle exhaust treatment fluids, and to guide and regulate the use of such fluids. A station manager at Sinopec Hubei Petroleum did some cost calculations for the journalists. Currently, a 10-kilogram bottle of exhaust gas treatment fluid retails for 50 yuan; at a concentration of 5%, it can be added to 2000 liters of diesel. In other words, the cost per liter of diesel increases by just over 2 cents; by using exhaust treatment fluid, not only are exhaust emissions reduced, but the fuel consumption of diesel vehicles also decreases by 6%. The book \"100 Questions and Answers on Diesel Vehicle Exhaust Treatment Fluids\", published by China Business Press, lists the three main benefits of using SCR systems along with diesel vehicle exhaust treatment fluids: first, particulate emissions can be significantly reduced, meeting the National IV emission standards ； Secondly, 80% of the nitrogen oxides in exhaust gases can be converted into nitrogen, thus fully meeting the National IV or even National V emission standards ； Thirdly, the high-temperature combustion inside the engine improves its fuel efficiency; compared to vehicles meeting National Standard 3, it can reduce fuel consumption by 5%-7%. For example, a heavy-duty diesel vehicle (with a fuel consumption of 35 liters per 100 kilometers) can recoup the cost of installing an SCR system after traveling 200,000 kilometers; the savings in fuel costs exceed the cost of using diesel exhaust treatment fluids. Diesel vehicle exhaust treatment fluid is essential to meet the National IV emission standards. When heavy-duty diesel vehicles equipped with an SCR system are in operation, it is necessary to add diesel exhaust treatment fluid at the same time; this fluid is essential for reducing nitrogen oxides, controlling the emissions from such vehicles, and meeting the National IV emission standards. The bench test data prepared by the third-party testing institution, Tianjin Suoke Automotive Testing Co., Ltd. under the China Automotive Technology and Research Center, in accordance with the GB 17691-2005 standard, show that diesel vehicles meeting the National IV emission standards and using the \"Yuetai Hailong\" diesel exhaust treatment fluid have 41.7% lower levels of nitrogen oxides (NOX) compared to diesel vehicles meeting National III emission standards, while particle matter (PM) levels are reduced by 89.7% ； Diesel vehicles that meet National IV emission standards emit 3.74 times as much NOX when no exhaust treatment fluid is used; however, the use of the \"Yuetai Hailong\" diesel exhaust treatment fluid can reduce the nitrogen oxides in vehicle exhausts, enabling compliance with National IV emission standards. As a product with entirely independent intellectual property rights owned by Sinopec, Yuetai Hailong diesel exhaust treatment fluid is produced and distributed uniformly, with strict quality and service standards. Tests conducted by the **relevant testing center on the SCR performance of this product have shown excellent results, comparable to those of internationally renowned brands; the product is now being sold nationwide. At the same time, to prevent counterfeiting, unique identifiers have been added to enable identification and detection. Industry experts warn vehicle owners that in diesel vehicles equipped with an SCR system, failing to add the exhaust treatment fluid not only results in emissions that do not meet standards, but it also affects the vehicle’s power and speed; furthermore, the system will issue an alarm, compromising the vehicle’s safety while driving. (Excerpt from China Securities Network)