Omnitek Engineering Corp. has earned U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approval to produce dedicated natural gas engines for the Caterpillar C15 diesels as a replacement option for heavy equipment and Class 8 trucks in model years 1993 to 2006.

Omnitek recieved a "certificate for conformity," which allows the company to sell conversions in 49 states for the Caterpillar 3406E, C15, C15 ACERT and C16 engine models. The engines are configured for quick installation, according to Omnitek.

The company is targeting the Class 8 market, especially drayage trucks. The engines are also used on many models of heavy equipment found among government fleet assets.

"As engines are converted to use CNG or LNG, the payback on a diesel-to-natural gas truck conversion can be as short as 16 months, including the cost for the engine, fuel storage system and installation labor," said Werner Funk, Omnitek's president and chief executive. "This is a significant improvement compared with diesel dual fuel technology, which uses a mix of diesel and only a small amount of natural gas."

Cat C15 ACERT diesel engines power equipment such as agriculture tractors, chippers and grinders, combines and harvesters, compactors and rollers, compressors, construction equipment, cranes, crushers, dredgers, loaders and forwarders, material handling, mining, mobile earthmoving equipment, paving equipment, pumps, shovels and draglines, surface hauling equipment and trenchers.