Retrofitting Engines Reduces Pollution, Increases Incomes

The World Clean Energy Awards, announced in Basel, Switzerland, on June 15, recognize innovative, practical projects that move renewable energy and energy efficiency solutions into the mainstream.

Developed by the independent transatlantic21 Association, the awards are intended to create benchmarks for clean energy in seven categories: construction; transport and mobility; products; services, trade, and marketing; finance and investment; policy and lawmaking; and NGOs and initiatives.

The Worldwatch Institute was one of eight organizations invited to participate in the nomination and jury process. Eye on Earth will run a weekly feature on each of the nine winners. Two-stroke engines emit as much pollution as approximately 50 conventional automobiles.

A retrofit kit initially designed to reduce the emissions of snowmobiles is now being applied to the ubiquitous two-stroke motorcycle taxis in Philippine cities. Envirofit, an independent nonprofit company started at Colorado State University in 2003, works to develop and disseminate direct injection retrofit kits to improve the efficiency of two-stroke engines, one of the world’s largest sources of vehicular emissions. “It’s a huge amount of pollution, and a very solvable problem,” says Dr. Bryan Willson of Envirofit. The group’s effort earned it the WCEA award in the category of transport and mobility.