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Non-road mobile machinery (NRMM)

The emissions legislation on non-road mobile machinery (NRMM) covers a huge range of applications. For simplicity small (less than 19kW) engines are covered in the page on motorcycles and small equipment but the larger applications are covered on this page.

For the small engines (less than 19kW) many are petrol engines, but for the larger engines the majority are diesels.

The emissions requirements for NRMM appear quite complex as they come into force in stages, with each stage phased depending on the application and the engine size.

For instance Phase IIIA is being phased in:

• between 2010 and 2012 for constant speed engines,
• between 2005 and 2009 for propulsion engines for inland waterway vessels,
• between 2005 and 2009 for railcars and locomotives and
• between 2005 and 2008 for other engines.

Within each of these applications there are distinct application dates for different engine sizes, with the date for all engines placed on the market generally being one year after the date for new Type Approvals.

The systems used are the same as for other diesel applications, with Diesel Particulate Filters (DPF), Diesel Oxidation Catalysts (DOC) and Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) as the main technologies. They can be used as original equipment or are available as retrofit systems for most equipment.

In addition to Europe-wide legislation, there are sometimes local regulations for construction equipment (as in Switzerland) or for equipment used in mines. There may also be incentives, requirements built into construction contracts (especially in city centres) or company internal policies that stimulate use of these technologies. Diesel Particulate Filters, for instance, can be used for heavy-duty forklift trucks, where the power of a diesel engine is needed for the loads but operation within buildings is needed.

Diesel Particulate filters also show their benefit on equipment used in confined construction sites, where the need for heavy construction equipment can at the same time meet the needs of public protection from exposure to fine particles.

Supply of the urea for NOx removal by Selective Catalytic Reduction is quite straightforward in such circumstances as a single supply can be set up for all equipment on site. The emissions directive for NRMM is not likely to require the use of SCR until its later stages, but the technology is already being supplied as retrofit for some applications. SCR is also increasingly being applied to Inland Waterway vessels, such as those used on the Rhine and to ships and ferries for international use, which are not covered by the NRMM regulations.

A number of different engine test cycles are used for NRMM engines, designed to apply to particular types of use.

Tractors

The NRMM emissions directives do not directly apply to agricultural and forestry tractors, but a parallel directive sets essentially the same series of requirements as for NRMM, again phased in by engine size.

Recreational and personal watercraft

Emissions regulations also exist for 'recreational and personal watercraft' - in other words boats and equipment such as jet-skis. The requirements cover boats for leisure use or sports (but not racing boats) with a hull length from 2,5 m to 24 m and personal watercraft up to 4m in length. Inboard, outboard and stern-drive engines and equipment using water jet pumps for propulsion are all covered. European regulations do not generally require exhaust emissions treatment, but it is used in the USA for some applications.