California Air Resources Board

Background

California needs to reduce public health risk from Transport Refrigeration Units (TRU) near distribution centers and other facilities where TRUs and TRU generator sets operate; as well as achieve emission reductions while in transit, especially near the most impacted communities. Improving freight efficiency and transitioning diesel-powered TRUs to zero-emission technologies is needed to help meet the State’s multiple risk reduction, air quality, and climate goals, as well as the directive of Executive Order N-79-20, which set a goal for 100 percent zero-emission off-road vehicles and equipment in the State by 2035.

TRUs are defined as refrigeration systems that are powered by internal combustion engines (inside the unit housing). They control the environment of temperature-sensitive products that are transported in refrigerated trucks, trailers, railcars and shipping containers. They may be capable of cooling or heating. TRUs are used to transport and store many products, including, but not limited to food, pharmaceuticals, plants, medicines, blood, chemicals, photographic film, art work, and explosives.

CARB staff are developing requirements to transition diesel‑powered TRUs to zero‑emission technology in two phases. Part 1 consists of amendments to the TRU ATCM, which the Board approved at its February 2022 meeting. The amendments include requirements for the transition of diesel‑powered truck TRUs to zero‑emission, a particulate matter emission standard for newly‑manufactured non-truck TRUs, lower global warming potential refrigerant, facility registration and reporting, expanded TRU reporting and labeling, and fees. Staff are assessing zero‑emission options for non-truck TRUs and plan to take a second rulemaking (Part 2) to the Board for consideration.

Current Activities

October 23, 2020: Update on the Draft Concept for the New TRU Regulation

On September 23, 2020, Governor Newsom issued Executive Order (EO) N-79-20, which directed CARB to develop and propose strategies to achieve 100 percent zero‑emission from off‑road vehicles, equipment, and operations in the State by 2035.  Although the draft concept for the new TRU Regulation meets the direction of the EO for truck TRUs, it does not for the other TRU categories (trailer TRUs, domestic shipping container TRUs, railcar TRUs, and TRU generator sets).  As such, staff are proceeding with bifurcation of the draft concept for the new TRU Regulation.

The 2021 regulatory proposal will transition truck TRUs to zero‑emission, impose a stricter diesel particulate matter (PM) emission standard for newly manufactured TRUs in the remaining categories, require the use of lower global warming potential refrigerant, include facility reporting requirements, and will be brought to the Board in the summer of 2021.  The 2021 action will achieve oxides of nitrogen (NO_X) reductions from the zero-emission truck TRU requirement, PM reductions from the diesel emission standard, and GHG reductions from the lower global warming potential refrigerant requirement.

Staff will assess zero-emission options for trailer TRUs and the remaining TRU categories as part of an additional rulemaking for Board consideration.