“alternative fuels” – Any method of powering an engine that does not involve petroleum (oil). Some alternative fuels are natural gas, propane, hydrogen, hydrogen-blended natural gas, and electricity.
“CARB” – California Air Resources Board; formed to attain and maintain healthy air quality, conduct research into the causes of and solutions to air pollution, and systematically attack the serious problem caused by motor vehicles. It sets and enforces emission standards for motor vehicles, fuels, and consumer products, as well as health-based air quality standards.
“CNG” – compressed natural gas; natural gas that has been condensed under high pressures, typically between 3,000 and 3,600 pounds per square inch, and is held in a container. The gas expands when released for use as a fuel.
“CNG-DI” – compressed natural gas direct injection.
“CO” – carbon monoxide; a colourless and odourless gas that is formed when carbon-containing fuels (i.e., almost any fuel except pure hydrogen) are burned incompletely. In the atmosphere, it elevates concentrations of methane and ozone. In the body, CO reduces oxygen delivery to the organs and tissues.
“CO2” – carbon dioxide; another product of combustion, CO2 does not directly impair human health, but it is the most significant greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming.
“commercialization / commercialization agreement” – The process of taking a new and proprietary technology to the marketplace. In addition to designing, developing, testing, and marketing the technology, the commercialization process also comprises protecting the intellectual property (IP) rights associated with technology. This IP can include patents, trade secrets, trademarks, goodwill, copyrights, trademarks, industrial designs, and know-how.
“diesel” – A type of fuel that is a mixture of heavier hydrocarbons from the refining of petroleum. A typical hydrogen to carbon ratio is 1.7 to 1.
“diesel cycle” – The combustion process of a type of internal combustion engine. In the diesel cycle, only air is drawn into the engine and compressed. The fuel is then injected directly into the cylinder with a high-pressure fuel injector when the piston reaches the top of its motion.
“diesel engine” – An engine where fuel and combustion air are kept separate until the time of ignition. Typically, a diesel engine injects diesel fuel into its combustion chamber after the air has been highly compressed. The heat caused by compression immediately ignites the fuel. Diesel engines are much more energy efficient than gasoline engines, typically are more durable, and have the ability to do work at very low speeds.
“EPA” – U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; The EPA is responsible for researching and setting national standards for environmental programs, and delegates the responsibility for issuing permits and for monitoring and enforcing compliance. Where national standards are not met, EPA can issue sanctions and take other steps to assist in reaching the desired levels of environmental quality.
“Euro III / Euro IV / Euro V” – Emission standards for heavy-duty diesel engines in the European Union as shown in the table below.
| Year introduced | NOx | PM | CO | THC | |
| Euro III (g/kWh) | 1999 | 5.0 | 0.10 | 2.1 | 0.66 |
| Euro IV (g/kWh) | 2005 | 3.5 | 0.02 | 1.5 | 0.46 |
| Euro V (g/kWh) | 2008 | 2.0 | 0.02 | 1.5 | 0.46 |
“fuel cell” – An electrochemical cell in which the energy of a reaction between a fuel, such as hydrogen, and an oxidant, such as oxygen, is converted directly and continuously into electrical energy.
“H2DI” – hydrogen direct injection; the technology that Westport is developing with Ford Motor Company and BMW AG.
“HCNG” – hydrogen-blended compressed natural gas.
“horsepower” – A measurement of the power of engines.
“HPDI” – high-pressure direct injection; a patented technology being commercialized by Westport for injection of gaseous fuels into engines using the diesel cycle. “High pressure” means roughly 3,000-5,000 PSI at injection. Injection is direct into the combustion chamber, generally through a single replacement fuel injector.
“HSI” – hot surface ignition; an engine technology where ignition generally depends on a continuously operating glow plug (the “hot surface”).
“hybrid car / hybrid electric vehicle” - A vehicle which relies not only on batteries but also on an internal combustion engine, which drives a generator to provide the electricity and may also drive the wheels directly.
“hydrogen” – At standard temperature and pressure, it is a colourless, odourless, non-metallic, highly flammable gas. Hydrogen is the lightest and most abundant element in the universe, and able to react chemically with most other elements. It is used as an alternative fuel and as a power-source for fuel cells.
“Kyoto Protocol” – The Kyoto Protocol is an amendment to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), an international treaty on global warming. It also reaffirms sections of the UNFCCC. Countries which ratify this protocol commit to reduce their emissions of carbon dioxide and five other greenhouse gases, or engage in emissions trading if they maintain or increase emissions of these gases. A total of 141 countries, including Canada and China, have ratified the agreement. Notable exceptions include the United States and Australia. More information at: http://unfccc.int.
“LBSI” – lean-burn spark ignited (engine); a type of spark-ignited engine having lower emissions, greater power density, and greater fuel efficiency due to its inherently lower engine knock tendency and higher compression ratio.
“life-cycle costs” – The total cost to purchase, operate, and maintain a vehicle over the course of ownership. Includes factors like fuel consumption, oil changes, financing charges, resale value, and fuel infrastructure.
“LNG” – liquefied natural gas; natural gas can be cooled until it becomes liquid and then be stored in tanks. This reduces the volume by about 600 times. For transportation between locations where other means of transportation (such as pipelines) is uneconomic, natural gas can be transported by ship as LNG.
“MOU” – memorandum of understanding; an agreement between two (or more) legal entities.
“nmHC” – non-methane hydrocarbons; the sum of all hydrocarbon air pollutants except methane. nmHCs are significant precursors to ozone formation.
“NOx” – nitrogen oxides; The term used to describe the sum of nitric oxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and other oxides of nitrogen which play a major role in the formation of ozone, particulate matter, haze, and acid rain. Diesel engines are one of the primary sources of transportation-based NOx.
“O3” – ozone; a colourless, toxic gas and strong oxidizing agent that can be produced by electric discharge in oxygen or by the action of ultraviolet (UV) radiation on oxygen in the stratosphere (where it acts as a screen for UV radiation).
“OECD” – Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development; a forum where the governments of 30 market democracies work together to address the economic, social, environmental, and governance challenges of the globalising world economy, as well as to exploit its opportunities.
“OEM” – original equipment manufacturer; a company that purchases complex components from manufacturers, adds other hardware, and sells the systems, often for specific applications.
“PM” – particulate matter; a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air. It originates from a variety of sources, including motor vehicles, power plants, construction activities, soil dust, soot and industrial processes.
“SI” – spark ignited (natural gas engines); medium- and heavy-duty engines which incorporate spark plugs to ignite the fuel. Cummins Westport’s product line-up consists entirely of SI engines.
“SO2” – sulphur dioxide; a gas that is formed when fuel containing sulphur (mainly coal and oil) is burned. SO2 is responsible for several health issues, as well as being a precursor to acid rain.
“technology development agreement” – An agreement to apply one’s technology on a partner’s engine or vehicle for the purpose of demonstrating performance and emissions capability. It usually precedes a commercialization agreement.
“THC” – total hydrocarbons; the sum of all hydrocarbons, including methane.
“torque” – That which tends to change the rate of rotation of a body; also called the moment of force. The torque produced by rotating parts of an electric motor or internal-combustion engine is often used as a measure of its ability to do useful work. The magnitude of the torque acting on a body is equal to the product of the force acting on the body, and the distance from its point of application to the axis around which the body is free to rotate.
“WHO” – World Health Organization; a United Nations agency mandated to coordinate international health activities and to help governments improve health services.
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