Best PEO for Small Businesses

Best PEO for Small BusinessesAfter conducting extensive research on professional employer organizations (PEOs), we recommendInsperityas thebest PEO service for small geschftlicher umgangesin 2019. To understand how we selected ur best picks, you can find our methodology, as well as a comprehensive list of PEO services, on ourbest picks page.Editors note Looking for the right PEO service for your geschftlicher umgang? Fill out the below questionnaire to be connected with vendors that can help.Why Insperity?Flexible OptionsInsperity provides flexible service options for small businesses. Many competitors provide one-size-fits-all solutions, whereas Insperity will work with your business to find the right services for it. Some of its services are bundled, but Insperity allows you to sign up for the services you need and will scale up to match your businesss growth. Some of the features are optional, but you may still pay for the full bundle depending on your businesss situation.Insperit y provides extensive support to businesses of all sizes. Its accredited by the Employer Services Assurance Corporation (ESAC) and certified by the IRS, verifying its high-quality services. It also provides a mobile application, so you can access your PEO services from anywhere. In short, Insperitys PEO is well-rounded and ideal for small businesses. Best Insperity Features for Small BusinessTailored ServiceWith Insperity, instead of working with a predetermined PEO solution that includes services you may not need, you sign up for services and features that match your businesss needs, regardless of the size or stage of your company. If, for example, youre a small business looking only for payroll processing and HR services, Insperity can start you off with those two services and then build out more features as your business grows. This tailored service model allows your business to continue normal operation without having extensive features (or costs) at the onset of your service.Con tract StructureInsperity doesnt require a long-term contract, so you can cancel your service as long as you provide 30 days notice. This is a voreingestellt feature among PEO services we evaluated. While it requires you to have at least five employees, Insperity charges a per-employee fee as opposed to taking a percentage of your total payroll. This means that your costs not including healthcare, benefits, payroll taxes and workers compensation will remain the same as long as your number of workers remains the same.Hands-on ServiceInsperity provides a team of experts to handle your HR, benefits, payroll and risk management. You can collaborate with these experts to develop HR policies, select benefits packages and address compliance issues. This type of service team is voreingestellt for PEO services we reviewed. Insperity provides a point person to coordinate your services between you and the expert team.This team can provide in-depth advice and analysis on all the major PEO topi cs.ServicesInsperity has many services for small businesses. Small business owners can find support in HR, risk management, and health, vision and dental benefits administration. Other services Insperity offers include recruitment services, employee screening and onboarding, handbook and policy development, performance management, termination and dispute assistance, workers compensation, safety training and onsite safety inspections, ACA compliance assistance, time and attendance tracking and software, wage garnishments, and employee assistanceprograms.One area where Insperity excels is training resources. It offers some of the fruchtwein extensive training services of any company we reviewed. Its client businesses have access to 3,000 online courses, 15,000 digital books and live virtual training.Insperity also offers onsite training on safety topics and other HR training topics tailored to your business, like conflict management or sexual harassment. Insperitys training resources are among the best of any PEO we reviewed they are extensive, and the mix of onsite and live virtual training means that your business can provide effective training and coaching for employees.Other BenefitsAccreditationThis company is accredited by ESAC in addition to being certified by the IRS, grouping it with other industry-leading PEOs. The IRS has a certification process that ensures certain PEOs are healthy and able to provide the services they claim. ESAC is an independent rating organization that grades PEOs on the quality and depth of their services. Insperity also fares well with the Better Business Bureau it earned accreditation and an A+ with the company. Many companies we reviewed either arent rated or have very low grades with the private rating agency.Customer serviceWe interacted with Insperity via email and phone, posing as small business owners searching for a PEO service. In all instances, Insperitys sales team was helpful and informative, going the extra mile to ensure that all our questions were answered and that we had established a personal connection with the sales representative. Representatives explained important healthcare conceptsand didnt push for a sale in our interactions with them.LimitationsInsperity offers a single employer health plan, which has multiple offerings for your business, but other companies we reviewed provide multiple health plans from various companies. All Insperity partners have employees on the same plan, meaning that potentially tens or even hundreds of thousands of employees are on the same healthcare plan. It also means that your employees will only have access to healthcare from one company. Businesses looking to provide their workers with multiple healthcare options should consider this while looking at Insperity.Ready to choose a PEO solution? Heres a breakdown of our full coverageBest Professional Employer Organizations 2019A Guide to PEOs and Employee LeasingBest PEO for Very Small BusinessesBest PEO for StartupsBest PEO for Midsize BusinessesBest PEO for Customer ServiceEditors note Looking for the right PEO service for your business? Fill out the below questionnaire to be connected with vendors that can help. Matt DAngelo Matt DAngelo is a staff writer covering small business for Business.com and Business berichterstattung Daily. After graduating from James Madison University with a degree in journalism, Matt gained experience as a copy editor and writer for newspapers and various online publications. In addition to his writing and reporting, Matt edits articles. He reviews small business services, including PEOs, small business loans and GPS fleet tracking services. Hes been with Business.com and Business berichterstattung Daily since 2017. Start Your Business Business Ideas Business Plans Startup Basics Startup Funding Franchising Success Stories Entrepreneurs Grow Your Business Sales Marketing Finances Your Team Technology Social Media Security Build Your Career Get the Job Get Ahead bro Life Work-Life Balance Home Office Lead Your Team Leadership Women in Business Managing Strategy Personal Growth Find A Solution HR Solutions Financial Solutions Marketing Solutions Security Solutions Retail Solutions SMB Solutions About Us Contact Us Partner with Us Copyright Policy Terms of Use Privacy Policy Do Not Sell My Personal Information Advertising Disclosure Sitemap 200 Fifth Avenue, Second FloorWaltham, MA 02451infobusinessnewsdaily.com Copyright document.write(new Date().getFullYear()) All Rights Reserved. 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4 Major Lessons I Learned By Quitting My Corporate Job

4 Major Lessons I Learned By Quitting My Corporate Job Quitting a corporate job, especially if you havent done it before, can be jarring (to say the least). Its one thing to fantasize about leaving a cubicle position, and quite anotherbei to actually go through with the decision. You have to be all in if you choose to leave, and understand that life will not be the same as it welches before. Adventure and the chance to pursue your dreams awaits on the other side. But so does the struggle of navigating life without a steady paycheck, insurance benefits, and that little voice inside your head asking, Did I make the right decision?Leaving the steady corporate world for the narrow and windy entrepreneurial route isnt easy, but it can be done. Studies even show that by the year 2020, contingent workers will exceed 40% of the workforce, making traditional jobs harder to find. I had a real talk session with four professional women about the eye-opening lessons they learned after leaving t heir corporate jobs. Lets see how this decision impacted their lives for the better.1. Benefits are arbitrary.Before Ashley Copeland became a podcast host, she spent a year and a half working for Morgan Stanley. It was the ultimate in corporate jobs an established brand name, solid pay, and great benefits. However, Copeland soon realized that corporate benefits tend to be arbitrary.Many companies entice new talent by discussing benefits like PTO, company matches for retirement plans, and health plans, she explains, But, many employees dont understand retirement contribution schedules or use their vacation leave.The experience taught her a valuable lesson she wanted to establish benefits that suited her needs. Copeland has since become the host for financial podcast Stacks and the City and has created opportunities for her own paid leave, retirement plans and health insurance.2. Entrepreneurship isnt as sexy as it seems.When Jessica Lawlor was 27, she quit a six-year career in corpor ate public relations. She wanted to pursue her side hustle (in content management and PR), teach yoga and blog full-time. The idea of having a career cobbled out of her passions felt pretty sexy.Lawlor found herself getting caught up in the daydream of being an entrepreneur. No boss, working when and where you want, and living your vision.It was easy to dream about the freedom of entrepreneurship while I was side hustling and commuting to and from work each day. Lawlor admits.However, the reality was that Lawlors early days as an entrepreneur werent sexy at all. In fact, they kind of stunk. She found herself struggling to figure out the financial details of running a business, experiencing loneliness and feeling lazy without a set schedule.Despite the initial shock, Lawlor stayed committed to being an entrepreneur. Shes now the Founder and CEO of Jessica Lawlor Company and wouldnt take her decision back for anything.After tasting the freedom of running a business, I dont see myself returning to the corporate world, she explained.3. Youll get over it.When Talya Miron-Shatz, PhD was 37, she made the painful decision to leave her corporate job behind. Miron-Shatz is now 52 and the CEO of BuddySoul, a personal development startup.She recalls that waking up the first morning after 11 years of working felt like being in a frightening void. By 9 AM, however, Miron-Shatz was in her first yoga class ever. As time progressed, she found that so much of the corporate world she was used to, like company gossip, seemed vacuous. Her passions and dreams were what really mattered. The world, as Miron-Shatz says, is truly your oyster.4. Sometimes there is no *right* time to leave a corporate job.Natalie Athanasiadis, Owner and Head of Growth at Ormi Media, was booted out of her corporate job due to the company closing abruptly. Rather than return to another corporate role, she decided to launch her dream agency.Five weeks later, Athanasiadis was running her own business. It wa s making six figures and growing Sure, it might not have happened at the right time, but what constitutes as great timing anyway?Sometimes there is no right time, Athanasiadis says, If you work consistently, you can achieve your goals. Just go for it

The etiquette of rejection

The etiquette of rejection The etiquette of rejectionPosted October 4, 2013, by Josie Chun The Rolling Stones said it best you cant always get what you want. When you go for a job einstellungsgesprch but dont get the job, its always hard accepting the rejection but theres an art to being gracious in defeat. After any bewerbungsgesprch, always send an email or note to the interviewer thanking them for taking the time to see you. Dont harass them with calls or emails as you await their decision. Thanks, but no thanks If you find out that youve been unsuccessful in getting a job, you still need to thank the company for considering you. You can also ask them to keep you in mind for any future positions that might open up. Its always important to leave a good impression and convey your professionalism, as you never know what might happen down the track or who else they might know in your industry. Even if you dont get the job, if you impress them they may pass on your details or recommen d you to other people or, alternatively, give you a bad rap if youve behaved poorly. Remember, its a small world and you cant afford to burn any bridges Dont behave like one candidate we interviewed who, after being told the bad news over the phone, followed up with a long email detailing everything we should have done (we should have called his referees, for example). He declared he was still the right person for the job and that we were making a mistake by not hiring him. His behaviour only confirmed our belief that he wasnt the one for us and that wed definitely made the right decision How to ask for feedback When you are thanking the interviewer make sure you take the opportunity to ask for some feedback. Getting feedback from an unsuccessful interview can be both reassuring and helpful, pointing you to what areas or interviewing skills you can work on. Perhaps you gave a great interview but another candidate fit the bill more closely or had more experience, or maybe you could have given more detailed answers. This sort of feedback is invaluable and will help you in future interviews. You can ask for feedback over the phone when you first hear of their decision, or follow up over email. If you are speaking over the phone then keep in mind that they will probably want to keep the discussion brief, so take all their comments on board and definitely dont argue against any of the points they make. In all your professional interactions, no matter what the outcome, you should be unfailingly polite, gracious and professional even, or especially, in the face of rejection. For more helpful advice, see our full range of interview tips. ResourcesMy first resumeCover letter for my first jobCareer Insider StoriesShelley Lask - Body Positive Health & FitnessInterested in becoming a?Human Resources OfficerGeneral ManagerBusiness ManagerAccountantOffice AdministratorPopular Career Searchesinterview feedback examplestechnical accounting interview questionssecretary inter view questions and answersfmcg sales interview questions answerspolice officer interview questions and answers CoursesBachelor of Social WorkEnquire Online Enquire OnlineCertificate III in Health AdministrationEnquire Online Enquire OnlineBachelor of Criminal JusticeEnquire Online Enquire OnlineCertificate III in Allied Health AssistanceEnquire Online Enquire OnlineJosie ChunRelated ArticlesBrowse moreAccountingArchitectureTop paying jobs straight out of uniNobody should pick a career based on the size of a pay cheque. But, to be frank, it doesnt hurt to know what youll be earning in your first year out of uni. So undergrad students listen up here are the top industries with the highest median salaries.National Broadband Network boon for small businessThe development of the highly anticipated $43 billion National Broadband Network (NBN) is expected to provide huge benefits to both businesses and individuals throughout Australia.Online studyUniversityYou Can Study With No Pre-requisi tes. Heres HowTheres no reason to give up on your dreams because of formalities. Pre-requisites are sometimes necessary, but they shouldt be the hill youll die on. Doing what you love is very much an attainable goal and we mapped out the path to sucess for you.

Learn How to Make Money as a Musician

Learn How to Make Money as a MusicianLearn How to Make Money as a MusicianIf youre going to go full-time as a musician, youre going to need to make some cash. You might love what youre doing, but its hard to pay the rent or buy groceries if you dont have some source of music industry income. So how can you make money as a musician without resorting to heading back to your day job? It can take a little creativity as you are getting your music career off the ground. These ideas will get you started. Learning to Make Money as a Musician Most of these ideas arent groundbreaking, and you probably already have thought of at least some. But the key to surviving as a paid musician is to put them all together. Heres how Play Live Playing live is an obvious choice when it comes to making money as a musician. You can make money through show guarantees, door split deals, or even by passing around a tip jar. Of course, if you dont have much of a proven track record when it comes to pullin g in an audience, youre not in a great position to demand large fees. Building up to this will take time. Every little bit helps, though, and even if you go home with $15, take the long-term view and treat each low-paying gig as a step towards increasing your earnings potential. Sell Your Music Well, duh, you think. Of course, you should sell your music, but the trick here is to make sure your fans dont have to look far to find it. Digital distribution is a must, whether you go through an aggregator that places your music all over the net for you or if you approach services on your own, one by one. Selling music at shows is also important. You can sell CD-Rs at shows, as long as you price them accordingly and make it clear that they are CD-Rs when you sell them. If youre pressing physical copies, check out your local record shops to get them in on consignment (some shops also accept CD-Rs). Sell Merchandise Diversifying what you have to sell will boost your earning potential . It doesnt mean get 5,000 t-shirts made at some price that will make your credit card weep. Make your own t-shirts, buttons and badges, stickers, and other merch, and sell them at your shows and on your website. Merchandise does especially well at shows after your fans have just seen you play and are all caught up in the spirit. As long as you keep your overhead down, merchandise can give your income a nice little boost. Play Other Peoples Music The musical talents you hope will form your career can help you make ends meet until the day you get to play your own songs exclusively. Session musician work for other musicians can help you bridge the financial gap and make some extra money. As a bonus, youll be honing your own skills and meeting people who can create opportunities for you. Perform Musical Odd Jobs Okay, so the point here is to move away from your day job however, if you need to make some extra money, doing something music related - even if it doesnt specifically involve your music- is a good choice. Much like working as a session musician, the idea here is to use your knowledge and talents to help other musicians (and get paid for it). Are you a great producer? Get some studio work. Are you a pro at booking shows? Do it for other musicians. Got design skills? Do cover art or websites for musicians or music-related businesses. Tap into your music skills to put some extra money in your pocket. More Ideas to Earn Money as a Musician Combine the following suggestions with the ideas above for a plan that really can help you earn enough money to quit your day job. Promotion, Promotion, Promotion Your ability to make a living as a musician depends a lot on your ability to promote your music. You must make sure people know about your music, where they can get it, when you are playing, and so on. How to Use Twitter for Music PromotionReverb Nation Protect Your Assets Its pretty easy to get taken for a ride in the music industry so, it s always a good idea to get things in writing. If you dont understand a particular deal, seek advice before putting pen to paper. Putting things in writing doesnt have to involve huge lawyer bills. Before You Sign a Music Promoter ContractIndie Label ContractsBefore You Sign a Music Manager ContractDo We Need a Band Contract? Learn More About Going Full-Time as a Musician Everyones situation and goals are different, and ultimately, the only one who can decide if it is time to go full-time as a musician is you. These articles will help you weigh up your options Self-Releasing Albums Pros and ConsBefore You Start a Record Label

12 Daily Habits to Boost Your Hire-ability

12 Daily Habits to Boost Your Hire-ability12 Daily Habits to Boost Your Hire-abilityA list of 12 tasks job seekers should do every day to get hired.In Part 1 of this series about elevating your visibility, you learned the secret to a successful job search Anonymity is bankruptcy.So, now that youve begun exerting your distinctiveness expressing your vulnerability and acting smart (not like a smarty pants ) lets advance our discussion by exploring 12 daily practices to turn approachability into hire-ability1. Be radically honest. Next time someone says, Hey Karen - hows it going? respond by cheerfully saying, Still unemployed Three things will happenHe will appreciate your candorHe will become one more person aware of your situation,He will become more likely to help you find a job.How many people did you tell you were unemployed today?2. Become the observed.You attend chamber meetings, BNI events, job expos and trade shows to look for job openings, right? Well, let me ask you this W hen was the last time you were the guest speaker?Really? Never? Wow. Try this mail every single c hamber of c ommerce d irector in your city. Tell them you have an educational and entertaining presentation based on your expertise and career history thats perfect for their membership.If they ask what company youre with, be radically honest and say, Actually, Ive been unemployed for six months, and Ive had a lot of time to practice my presentation Theyll love you. And so will the audience, if you do it right.When was the last time you gave a public presentation?3. Blog every single day.By sharing your expertise with the world, you will accomplish a few things (1) Prove to people that you deliver insight, not just knowledge, (2) Boost your web presence, and (3) Accumulate a reservoir of resources to e-mail prospective employers.Example Imagine if, at the end of your thank-you e-mail to someone who just interviewed you, you included a P.S. that read, By the way, Mr. Randall, I wrote a b log post last week about the four biggest mistakes made by HR d irectors. Just a few things Ive learned in my career over the years. I hope I can help your company avoid these same mistakesWhy arent you blogging yet?4. Print business cards.But I dont have a job Whats your point? All the more reason to have your own business card.Make them yourself. Use Vista Print, pay the 50 bucks, and carry a dozen with you wherever you go.Tips Red stands out. Pictures arent a bad idea. And for the love of God, dont use Papyrus as your font. Oh, and bring them wherever you go. Because you never know. Everybody is somebodys somebody.How many opportunities have you missed because you didnt have a card with you?5. Change your e-mail.If your e-mail address contains the letters AOL in it, change it. If you use it, people will prejudge your messages before they read them. People will also prejudge you before they meet you.Heres the reality AOL is for old people, novices and technologically deficient pro fessionals. Dont be one of those people. Get your own Web site, or, if you must, use Gmail.What does your e-mail address say about your professionalism?6. Dont be clever or cute.Clever is using other peoples conversations as springboards for your little jokes that nobody thinks are funny but your cat. It annoys people and wont encourage anyone to hire you.Cute is sending a pink ribbon on your resume because you think it will get you noticed. Nope. It wont. You need to be smart and strategic. Like creating an zugreifbar video resume. Thats smart.How much money is being cute costing you?7. Get up one hour earlier.Single best piece of advice Ive ever been given. And just imagine - at the end of three months, you will have put in more than two extra weeks of time. Talk about outworking everyoneWhat time did you get up today?8. Internetworking gets jobs. Whatever social media outlets you currently use - Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, whatever - commit to spending one to three hours ever y single day leveraging those tools.Comment on blogs. Send messages. Connect people. Write killer posts. It doesnt matter which ones you use it matters that you use them consistently.How e-pproachable are you?9. Leverage branding hot spots. If youre making calls and trying to set up interviews day in and day out, its probable youre asked the question, May I ask whos calling? between 10 and 50 times, right?What do you say? Steve Johnson? Rebecca Jackson? Terrible Imminently forgettable. You need to insert your uniqueness. Something like, The Pool Guy, or The Queen of HR You will stand out among the other 300 people that call that day.How many jobs has being boring cost you?10. Set up your Web site.Doesnt have to be fancy. Doesnt have to be expensive. Heres what you doRegister an easy- to-remember URL - hopefully, something simple like www.yourname.com,Get a professional picture taken of you that does not include that overdone pose with your fist on your chin,Publish pillars or bulle t points of your personal philosophy by asking yourself the question, If everybody did exactly what I said, what would the world look like?Include all possible contact links, references, PDFs of resumes and the like.All of this can be done for less than $1,000.Why dont you have a Web site yet?11. Shift your attitude. You may be unemployed. You may be broke. But the reality is, finding a job needs to become your job until you find a job.Let me say that again Finding a job needs to become your job until you find a job. That means structuring your days. That means having regular lunch meetings. That means treating it like any other job.How much television did you watch yesterday?12. Write it first.Now that youre getting up an hour earlier, you can use (some) of that time for writing. My suggestion is to make a list of the Top 100 bewerbungsgesprch Questions You Might be Asked.Every morning, pick three of them out of a hat. Then spend a few minutes writing out your answers. If this soun ds challenging to you, good Thats why you need it.Writing is the great clarifier. Writing is the basis of all wealth. Most importantly, writing makes you better at everything you do. Your interviews will be amazing if youve already thought out - and written out - your answers.What did you write today?Remember When practiced with commitment and consistency, your approachability will be the ticket to your hire-ability.Let me ask ya this..How many job opportunities have you lost because people perceived you as unapproachable?

Low-Tech Solutions Fight Hunger

Low-Tech Solutions Fight Hunger Low-Tech Solutions Fight Hunger Low-Tech Solutions Fight HungerHamid Oubir lives with his family in a small village in northern Morocco. To sell his produce in the market, he has to make his way to the nearest town early in the morning several times a week. If Mr. Oubir wants to prevent his fruits and vegetables from getting spoiled, he needs to make three-hour treks by foot to reach the market. Each time he leaves his field to go to the market he loses money, both in time spent and the cost of travel.Many families in rural areas face the same challenges as Hamid. In developing regions, a quarter of the grains and more than half of the fruit and vegetable crops are damaged due to poor conditions for storage and processing. This is why comprehensive rural development and sustainable agricultural production play a key role in the fight against hunger. However, the lack of access to water and electricity, as well as the absence of facilities to store thei r produce, makes it hard for farmers like Hamid to reduce decayed produce and to provide adequately for themselves and their families.For You Insight from Human SightThe Barsha Pump, powered by a 1.5-m high waterwheel, can deliver up to 40,000 liters of water per day.Simple technological innovations can play a key role here. Startups by social entrepreneurs and university spin-offs are developing interesting solutions around the world. For example, small farmers could store their produce over the long term using simple refrigeration or silo solutions. With storage, the crops could sell more profitably at a later time, and the farmers could continue feeding their families even after the harvest period. This was the inspiration behind Spencer Taylors Evaptaineran electricity-free mobile refrigeration technology that keeps food fresher, longer, and costs less than $30.Hamid Oubir tried out these simply designed coolers. After using the Evaptainer for a short time he reported that he wa s able to save 4-5 percent extra each month. Not only did Evaptainer help keep his produce fresh for longer but also the time he was able to save had a positive impact on his life and productivity.This example shows the impact that simple technologies can have on everyday life in developing regions and how hunger can be fought over the long term in small but sustainable steps. Thus, helping people to provide for themselves and to make the most of what they produce.The Siemens Stiftungs empowering people network pursues the aim of finding social entrepreneurs with promising, sustainable and low-tech solutionslike the Evaptainerto connect them with peers, promote them sustainably and make them visible to potenzial partners. An essential aspect involves making the best possible use of local resources and supporting local small businesses in developing a promising corporate strategy.The network database comprises some 100 tested solutions in nine different categories, from renewable ene rgy to information technologies and education to recycling, water saving, and health. Another focus is on agriculture, with many of the inventors and developers confronting the hunger problem in developing regions.The agricultural solutions within the network extend along the entire agricultural process chainstarting with irrigation technology, which can double the yield if not increase it fivefold. Here, for example, the Barsha Pump makes a valuable contribution. Using the 1.5-m high waterwheel, it can pump up to 40,000 liters of water per day to higher elevations. The drip irrigation system from EOS is a low-cost alternative to expensive trickle irrigation. To reduce costs, EOS has replaced commercial components of the irrigation system with affordable everyday items. For $20 the system can irrigate 50 square meters of farmland. This solution is already in use worldwide.Half the worlds arable land is farmed by small-plot farmers. Their needs, challenges, and working conditions are a key starting point for long-term positive changes. This is precisely where social enterprises using simple technologies make a difference every day, enabling farmers to work more efficiently, act more independently, and improve the living conditions of their families and communities.Rolf Huber is managing director of the board at Siemens Stiftung.Read More3D Printing Trains Bomb-Sniffing Dogs10 Ways GDPR Will Affect EngineersRobots Make Self-Repairing Cities Possible

New NOx Scrubbing Technology for Diesel Marine Engines

New NOx Scrubbing Technology for Diesel Marine Engines New NOx Scrubbing Technology for Diesel Marine Engines In the U.S., the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) monitors air quality near port cities (and other locations) and has determined that levels of ground-level ozone in Houston, TX, and Galveston, TX are above the new age threshold, requiring that they be lowered. To reduce these levels, the EPA regulates emissions of ozone precursors, one of which is oxides of nitrogen (NOx).Marine engine emissions are a large contributor to NOx levels, and when combined with rail and road traffic in a concentrated area, the ports become a major source of emissions. Many diesel engines in ship fleets arent replaced for 20 or 30 years, delaying the implementation of newer clean diesel engine technologies.Through a $350,000 grant from the Texas Environmental Research Consortium, and funding by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, beginning in 2008, researchers at West Virginia Univ ersity (WVU), along with environmental consulting firm M.J. Bradley Associates, LLC, developed a new wet scrubbing system for NOx as a retrofit for diesel seestreitkraft engines that can reduce emissions at ports. Scrubbing pollutants from exhaust is not new, but scrubbing applied to mobile NOx sources is.Different from SOx Scrubbing on Large ShipsScrubbing as a technology has been used for decades to capture oxides of sulfur (SOx) in stationary emission sources such as power and chemical plants, and on huge ocean-going marine vessels in Europe, whose heavy residual fuel contains large amounts of sulfur.Diesel emissions.On large ships such as those with the 1,000-1,500 hp, tug-boat sized engines targeted in this study, SOx scrubbing captures sulfur from engine exhaust, creating dilute sulfuric acid as a byproduct. Primitive scrubbers would release it overboard. Modern systems carry additional chemical reagents on-board, such as calcium hydroxide, to react with the acid, like a mobi le chemical plant, which is a costly option. Large ships could use low-sulfur diesel, but refining costs are also substantial due to the high volumes used.SOx scrubbing is generally not needed for smaller harbor marine engines at ports in the United States since the distillate diesel fuel used in these engines has much lower sulfur than in residual fuels of ocean going ships. Also, the use of ultra low-sulfur diesel will be required by the EPA in 2012.Capturing and Destroying NOxWVU and M.J. Bradley expanded the SOx scrubbing concept to develop a new technology involving two stages. First, nitrogen oxide (NO) within the engine exhaust is converted to nitrogen dioxide (no) and partially cooled with seawater, since the NOx absorption improves at lower temperatures. The cooled gas containing more soluble NOx species is sent to a conventional packed wet-bed scrubbing column, producing a weak nitric acid byproduct that is stabilized.Diesel engine.Next, the acid is thermally decomposed an d reacted with a small amount of on-board diesel fuel across an automotive style reducing catalyst, forming nitrogen and water vapor, which are discharged as harmless gasses. No scrubbing liquid is dumped overboard.Only about 1% of additional diesel fuel is needed to react with the small NOx volumes captured, so this technology minimally impacts fuel consumption. No additional reagents are needed other than the same common catalyst that removes NOx from gasoline vehicle exhaust.Since temperatures of around 256 C are required to complete the acid destruction reaction, and catalyst action begins around 250 C, the sealed destruction vessel is made from stainless steel to avoid corrosion from the nitric acid during heating, says WVU graduate student Louise Ayer.The group determined the scrubbing process needs significant waste heat removed, and the destruction process uses heat. So, the system design thermally combines the two processes. With engine exhaust typically greater than 300 C and absorption feasible at 30 C (seawater temperatures), no auxiliary heat is required.Beyond FeasibilityThe WVU kollektiv designed, built, and after design iterations, demonstrated a system that met the target goal of reducing NOx by 40% or morein lab tests on a 12-L, 400-hp diesel engine. Based on modeling, Nigel Clark, mechanical aerospace engineering professor at WVU and his group, believe the system can scale to larger engines and the absorption can be increased with further optimization.The column in the current design is about nine feet tall. Future optimized designs could be as compact as a refrigerator, says Clark. With a lower temperature and more NO2, the scrubbing process improves, he says.A competing technology called Selective Catalytic Reduction, used in trucks built after 2010, uses injected ammonia or urea across a catalyst to remove NOx. The WVU/M.J. Bradley system uses an oxidizing catalyst and diesel particulate filter system to convert about 60-80% of exhaust N O to NO2 before scrubbing begins, and doesnt require end users to carry multiple reagents on-board, making it a potentially more attractive retrofit option in the long run, its designers believe.The next step for Clarks group will be to optimize the design in concert with a field demonstration.Debbie Sniderman is CEO of VI Ventures LLC, a technical consulting company.The column in the current design is about nine feet tall. Future optimized designs could be as compact as a refrigerator.Nigel Clark, mechanical & aerospace engineering professor, West Virginia University