Modifiche di attuazione
Nel percorso verso la decarbonizzazione, il settore della logistica del Regno Unito sta esplorando diverse opzioni di carburante alternativo per ridurre l'impronta di carbonio dei suoi veicoli commerciali pesanti (HGV). Tuttavia, ogni fonte di carburante presenta i propri desafios e opportunità.
Il biodiesel, ad esempio, offre una potenziale strada per la decarbonizzazione, ma la sua prestazione nel mondo reale è influenzata dalla sensibilità alle temperature fredde, dai potenziali problemi di manutenzione del motore e dalla necessità di una selezione attenta delle materie prime per garantire la sostenibilità. Despite these challenges, 85% of Wincanton's logistics fleet serving Screwfix now refuels with HVO, a more sustainable form of diesel.
Anna Krajinska, UK director at Transport & Environment, argues that electrification is the only credible long-term solution for decarbonising road freight. However, battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) face concerns about battery weight reducing payload capacity, range limitations, and depot power upgrades.
Fuel-cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), on the other hand, produce only water vapour at the tailpipe, and when green hydrogen is used, they offer near-total lifecycle emission reductions. Yet, the global market for hydrogen fuelling stations is still developing, with only around 1,100 stations in operation worldwide.
Tim Jones, sustainability director at DPD, warns of the sustainability risks of relying on biofuels, noting the UK's reliance on imported used cooking oil. This highlights the importance of sourcing feedstocks from waste oils to avoid land-use conflicts when scaling up HVO use.
Biomethane - in compressed (Bio-CNG) or liquefied (Bio-LNG) form - is already in widespread use across UK logistics, but the technology is not entirely emissions-free, and supply chain resilience is dependent on sustainable feedstock availability. Porsche has adopted a mixed fleet strategy, combining electric HGVs, Bio-CNG vehicles, and synthetic diesel fuels (HVO100) as part of a trial.
Key research funding programs in the UK for developing alternative fuels in truck transport include government-backed biomethane projects like the Three Maids Hill biomethane plant in Winchester, which produces renewable gas as a fossil gas alternative. These initiatives also support green hydrogen, biomass utilization, and low-emission synthetic fuels under market-driven and cap-and-trade systems designed for climate neutrality.
Grid capacity is a major challenge, especially as logistics depots compete for access to fast, high-voltage charging. Almost a quarter of transport operations in the UK still plan routes manually, which could complicate the transition to electric vehicles.
Despite these challenges, HVO remains a viable option for some operators due to its compatibility with existing engines and lower greenhouse gas emissions. T&J Haulage in Lancashire adopted HVO after a customer request, demonstrating the potential for consumer demand to drive the shift towards more sustainable fuels.
As the UK continues to strive for decarbonizzazione, the logistics sector will need to navigate these complexities and find the right balance between technology, sostenibilità, and practicalità.
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