Mahle Powertrain, the engineering business segment of the Mahle Group, has received support from the U.S. government for a technology project to reduce methane emissions in the oil and gas industry. The funding of the government agency Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) amounts to $3.2 million. The goal is to develop an advanced exhaust gas aftertreatment solution.

The research program is part of the Reducing Emissions of Methane Every Day of the Year (REMEDY) initiative, which aims to significantly reduce emissions of the potent greenhouse gas methane. The project aims to further reduce methane emissions from natural gas-powered lean burn engines in the megawatt range, Mahle says. These industrial engines are typically used to power compressors and ships, and to generate electricity. The team of experienced engineers and technicians from all three organizations will start work shortly.

The goal is to develop an advanced exhaust gas aftertreatment solution that fully meets the requirements of the REMEDY program. Mahle Powertrain also plans to tackle the problem of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions, which are often caused by these large natural gas engines. The Mahle Powertrain branch in Plymouth/Michigan has successfully worked with the U.S. Department of Energy and ARPA-E for several years and participated in various important joint research and development projects to provide economically viable and energy-efficient solutions to support the U.S. automotive industry, Mahle says. These included the development of advanced prechamber ignition technology and the application of ultra-efficient microcombined heat and power generation.

Project partners of Mahle Powertrain are the State University of New York (SUNY) in Buffalo/New York and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in Oak Ridge/Tennessee. The results are expected to be implemented in 2025.