AdBlue demand to soar in China

China's drive to reduce nitrous oxide (NO_x) emissions will significantly increase demand for AdBlue additive over the next six years.

A new report from global research company Integer, entitled "China Diesel Emissions & AdBlue Market Study 2011", predicts that demand for the NO_x-reducing diesel additive is set to soar, with consumption growing to between 4.1 and 7.4 million tonnes by 2017.  China currently consumes around 11,000 tonnes against Europe's 1.1 million.

Integer predicts that the exponential growth will be driven by the implementation of the China IV emission and fuel implementation standard.  Although some areas of China, such as Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong, are already ahead of schedule for China IV standards, the overall programme has been delayed until at least January 2012.

However, once the new standards come into force, the nation's massive heavy truck sector - which in 2009 pumped out some 2.1m tonnes of NOx emissions - will be transformed through selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology and the use of AdBlue.