Cummins Westport Inc. (CWI) has placed three zero emission equivalent natural gas engines into production at manufacturing facilities in New York and North Carolina, according to NGVAmerica.

Meanwhile, Europe is looking to replicate America’s embrace of renewable natural gas (RNG) in low-nitrogen oxide engines, as well as a shift to liquefied natural gas (LNG) for use as a marine transportation fuel.

The trade association said CWI is currently producing 12-liter engines for heavy duty trucks and buses at a plant in Jamestown, NY, and 6.7- and 9-liter mid-range engines at its facility in Whitakers, NC.

“Unlike electric or hydrogen technologies still years away from deployment, CWI’s near-zero emission technology is ready right now,” a spokesperson for NGVAmerica said.

The three engine types have been certified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board. The heavy duty model, the ISX12N, will be available with ratings from 320-400 hp and up to 1,450 pound-foot of torque.

European Moves

The European Renewable Gas Registry (ERGaR) — a 10-nation organization dedicated to a lower carbon energy future and Europe, and which operates biogas, biomethane and RNG registries — is moving toward creating one European biomethane market facilitating cross-border RNG transactions.

The concept of cross-border biomethane administration and verification is being sought on a voluntary basis among the different nations. Guarantees for the origin of RNG supplies under each nation’s registry eventually will be processed and verified on ERGaR.

In France, Damen Shiprepair & Conversion, part of the Damen Shipyards group, was recently awarded a contract with GIE Dragages-Ports to convert a dredger to dual-fuel capability, combining LNG and marine gas oil in the first conversion of its kind in Europe.

The conversion is part of an initiative supported by the European Community to provide subsidies to promote the use of LNG in relatively small-scale vessels. Damen officials said the conversion is scheduled to be completed by this fall and will demonstrate the feasibility of LNG fueling smaller vessels.