UK
In January 2019, the new exhaust emission legislation for off-road engines will take effect. It is called Stage V and will limit not only the overall mass of particulate matter in the exhaust gas, but also the number of particles per unit of produced energy. In this article, I will describe Stage V and what impact the emission legislation has on the engine as well as the environment.
Upcoming exhaust emission legislation for off-road engines
Stage V is the upcoming exhaust emission legislation for off-road engines. The legislation is scheduled to take effect in January 2019 for engines below 56 kW as well as engines of 130 kW and above, and from January 2020 for engines from 56 kW but below 130 kW. The legislation will be valid for basically all mobile, industrial equipment powered by compression ignited or spark ignited engines. The increasingly stringent exhaust emission legislation is a strive to limit harmful substances in the exhaust gases coming from engines powered by fossil fuels. These substances include Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), Carbon Monoxide (CO), Hydrocarbons (HC) and Particulate Matter (PM).
The European Commission defines the rules for Stage V. The rules apply to all countries within the European Union and local authorities in each country ensure the fulfillment of the rules. Countries in Europe that are not members of the European Union, for example Norway, Switzerland and soon the UK, will most likely choose to follow the same rules.