With the United States moving to implement stronger environmental and fuel economy standards and expand the use of renewable fuels, clean diesel fuel is “poised to take on an even greater role in the U.S. transportation market”, according to a newly-released Hart Energy Consulting report.

“Diesel: Fueling the Future of a Green Economy” was released today by the Diesel Technology Forum in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Energy’s 2010-2011 Winter Fuels Outlook Conference at the National Press Club.

Hart Energy Consulting is a division of Hart Energy Publishing, one of the world’s largest energy industry publishers, with a diverse array of informational products for the worldwide energy industry.

“While there has been a lot of speculation about the role of unproven energy technologies in the emerging green economy, this new analysis clearly highlights that clean diesel will play a vital role in the green economy both today and in the future generations of energy and transportation,” said Allen Schaeffer, the executive director of the Diesel Technology Forum.

The Diesel Technology Forum is a non-profit national organization dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of diesel engines, fuel and technology.

“The growth in the diesel market has occurred throughout all regions of the world,” the report said. “Though not all areas have experienced substantial diesel penetration into the passenger vehicle market, growth in diesel demand has outpaced gasoline and other refined products in nearly all developing countries, including China.

“Diesel fuel is the workhorse of economies throughout the world, continued Schaeffer. As global economies have expanded, so has the demand for diesel-fueled commercial transportation and industrial activities.

While there is much speculation on the transformation to energy sources like electric and natural gas vehicles, the report highlights diesel’s significant role as both a current and future energy source.

“A search for secure, reliable energy supplies has led policy makers and industry to explore the use of new transportation fuels such as electricity and renewable fuels,” according to the Hart report. “Because of diesel fuel’s unique attributes - its energy density, low-sulfur content, widespread availability and compatibility with biofuels, it is easy to recognize diesel’s emergence as a leading fuel of the future.”

“Diesel offers energy and environmental improvement without the need for development of an infrastructure to support the advanced technology. Diesel’s unique capability to utilize a range of renewable fuels and blends enhances its desirability under emerging renewable fuel requirements.”

The Hart report states that diesel fuels has been the largest growth petroleum product, representing 20 percent of refined product demand, increasing at an annual rate of 2.8 percent for the past five years. Hart says U.S. diesel demand is expected to increase 1.7 to 2.0 percent per year over the next decade, driven largely by the heavy duty transportation sector and by pending fuel economy and climate policy initiatives that will increase diesel use among automobiles.

Also, the diesel industry is in the midst of implementing advanced engine and emissions control technology that will lower emissions from on-road vehicles and no-road machines and equipment by more than 98 percent compared to 2000-era technology, the report noted. With superior fuel economy of up to 35 percent above gasoline vehicles, diesel provides a strong option for meeting efficiency requirements while maintaining performance and power.

The Hart report predicted sales of clean diesel automobiles in the United States to increase from just 2 percent in 2009 to 8.5 percent in 2020. The report noted that other independent projections forecast domestic diesel car sales to increase to 9 percent by 2013 (Ricardo) to 10-15 percent by 2015 (J.D. Power).

“Fuel economy will be the primary factor in the future role for diesel in the U.S. light and medium duty vehicle markets,” stated the report. “Depending on the vehicle size and load, diesel engines typically achieve 20% to 35% better mileage than gasoline vehicles of comparable size and performance.”