The energy mix appears to be the way to make emission-free freight transport a reality, according to European industry professionals meeting on Wednesday 3 May at a conference organised by The European Logistics Platform (ELP).
According to Lorenzo Lerra, Energy Sourcing Manager at Deutsche Post DHL Group, the logistics company is banking heavily on electricity to replace biofuels. According to a study carried out by the Group, the demand for electricity in Germany will increase significantly. Because of this “uncertainty”, the company is still looking for the right solution to become completely sustainable and zero emission, and is still hesitating to make investment. The company currently operates on a mix of energy.
Similarly, Lars Mårtensson, Environment & Innovation Director at Volvo Trucks, said there was not just one solution, but “three different parallel roads that complete each other: electric battery, fuel cell, electric and combustion engines”.
He also stressed the need for investment and access to renewable energy. The electric trucks produced by the company are already finding buyers, but they need renewable energy, the supply of which differs from country to country.
Aral Voskamp, Project Lead Sustainable Mobility for the Port of Rotterdam, explained the strategy of his company and the Dutch government to support the transition to electromobility. Thanks to State subsidies, the Netherlands has the largest number of vehicle charging stations in the EU. In the port, hydrogen charging centres are already under construction, and electric charging centres are being planned.
They all have high expectations of the deployment of alternative fuel infrastructures provided for in the AFIR Regulation, which was agreed between the co-legislators last March (see EUROPE 13171/37) and the revision of the trans-European transport network (see EUROPE 13161/1). (Original version in French by Anne Damiani)