As the Clean Energy Leader within the  agricultural industry, New Holland has pioneered the use of biodiesel in machinery since 2006 and is currently researching the most advanced technologies from around the globe. Since developing the award winning NH2 concept tractor New Holland was the first to use hydrogen fuel cells, and introduce the Energy Independent Farm concept. Today New Holland continues to challenge the market exploring new ways to enable farmers to minimise emissions and pursue an energy independence for a sustainable future on the land.

In 2011 the next level of diesel exhaust emission regulations (Tier 4A) became a requirement for medium and heavy-duty engines above 174hp (130 kW) across Europe and North America. Once again, New Holland is at the forefront of the industry in Australia with ingenious solutions that make farming productive and more efficient while respecting the environment.

“Currently all on-highway vehicles are legislated for emission control in Australia, and whilst off-highway vehicles are not, this is likely to be different in the very near future”, said New Holland’s Product Manager for High Horsepower Tractors, Don Forrester.

Forrester added, “We are committed to integrating the best available engine technology for every machine and operation, and as part of that we also believe that aligning to the latest technology for emission control is the best practise in recognising future generations of farming in Australia.”

As part of New Holland’s strategy, Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) technology has been adopted for tractors with engines above 100hp. With the new technology you can operate a Tier 4A compliant tractor for 100 days and produce the same amount of exhaust emissions as a tractor would have produced in just one day, back in 1996 at the Tier 1 standard.

“Simply put this technology means that we can be 100 times better, or cleaner than we were a decade ago,” says Forrester.

Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) technology is an after treatment system that’s completely separate from the main engine function and does not compromise engine responsiveness, horsepower or torque, in fact the use of SCR technology actually improves performance. The SCR system uses a catalyst in the exhaust system that treats the nitrous oxides contained in the exhaust gas with an odourless mixture of chemical urea and purified water (AdBlueTM), transforming them into harmless water and nitrogen.

When compared with previous model New Holland tractors, SCR technology will deliver productivity advantages ensuring the emissionisation standards do not come at an expense to our customers, ensuring:

• More power, more torque
• Greater engine responsiveness to load
• Reduced fuel consumption
• Longer engine oil and filter service intervals

Forrester added, “We all have a responsibility to the future and the need to reduce toxic emissions. Tractors with Tier 4A emmissionisation compliance go a long way to ensuring a clean air future for future generations of Australian’s.”

SCR technology is currently being deployed in New Holland’s latest new model tractor ranges, the T7, T8 and T9 Series tractors.