Emission standards for diesels are lower in Europe than the US and you can't sell a typical non-US passenger car diesel engine in the US - it's too dirty. Gas vs diesel emissions - that depends on which emissions you want to look at. Overall, it's pretty clear that hybrids will be the long term winners (over small diesels) in the US. If it were up to me - I'd push for more CNG infrastructure. Cleaner and cheaper than gas or diesel.

Jonr, don't forget that a condensing dryer in winter contributes heat of condensation to overall house btu load. I have a throughwall fan on a snap disk switch that will vent the laundry closet into the master bath at elevated temps. In summer, the closet will vent through an ERV, also operated by snap disk.

The condensing dryer in question is a German Miele, which is available in the US. I bought it at an auction in DC in 09, in the depths of the housing bust, for a ridiculous price. Miele prices otherwise are the wrong kind of ridiculous.