Diesel has long been the fuel of choice for the logistics – it’s efficient and great strides have been taken with Euro standards to reduce air pollutants. But increasingly, there is pressure to adopt alternative fuels and technologies to also reduce carbon emissions.
Fleet operators are already undertaking a wide range of operations to decarbonise from driver training and aerodynamics to routing and scheduling. Further emission reductions could be made with a switch to greener fuels and technologies. However, it’s difficult to leap into the unknown with alternatives that are much more expensive and a refuelling infrastructure that is limited. Reliability of new technology is also a key concern. Customers want their goods, you can’t afford not to deliver.
Many leading operators have taken the risk and are trialling alternatives such as gas and electric but support and incentives are required from Government to really kick-start the market. That’s why FTA has been campaigning for funding to help industry and is delighted that a new Green Truck Fund of up to £24 million is now available to speed up the adoption of low emission vehicles.
The Office for Low Emission Vehicles and Innovate UK are providing funding of up to £19 million for low emission vehicles and supporting infrastructure. A further £5 million has been made available to also support on-vehicle technology to lower emissions. The funding is available for both HGVs and vans. This supplements a previous Low Carbon HGV Fund which wrapped up this year and put over 300 gas-powered HGVs on the road with supporting infrastructure.
FTA is also urging Government to consider how it can further support industry with grants. These currently exist for the car and van sector and we believe the freight sector would also benefit from them.
Find more information here: Competition brief: low emission freight and logistics trial
#carbon
(The views and opinions expressed by the authors of these blogs are theirs alone, and do not necessarily reflect those of the Freight Transport Association)
