LRTAWA focuses on the future ahead

The Livestock and Rural Transport Association of Western Australia will gaze into the future at its upcoming conference on the 4th/5th August at the Abbey Beach Resort in Busselton and explore some of the changes the industry has ahead of it, including having a close look at emerging technologies.

The WA Government has established a long term policy of economy-wide net zero emissions by 2050, but has not yet set interim targets or formalised emission reduction targets through legislation.

Led by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation, the State Government is developing sectoral emissions reduction strategies (SERS) in consultation with business, industry research institutions and the community to transition our economy to net zero emissions. A specific strategy is being developed for transport so it is important that we inform ourselves about new developments in carbon friendly technology and make judgements about what will suit our industry so we are in the best position to choose outcomes rather than having them imposed on us. As the Cummins Asia Pacific Director and General Manager, Mike Fowler has reminded us ‘it’s a path to zero emission, not a light switch event.’

Although several speakers are still to be confirmed we are hopeful that Cummins will showcase its 15 litre hydrogen engine, which is built on Cummins’ new fuel- agnostic platform, where below the head gasket each fuel type’s engine has largely similar components, and above the head gasket, each has different components for different fuel types. This version, with expected full production in 2027, pairs with clean, zero-carbon hydrogen fuel, a key enabler of Cummins’ strategy to go further faster to help customers reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We also hope to hear from Volvo about their electric vehicle technology and how it is evolving and what impact Australia’s front axle weight restrictions will have on the expansion of the electric vehicle size. bp Australia is an important national sponsor of our group and has made significant investments in new and emerging low emissions technologies such as hydrogen and renewable diesel. We are looking forward to hearing how these developments can be applied to the work that we do. In particular how the Australian Renewable Energy Hub (AREH) in the Pilbara will take advantage of solar and wind resources and be operationalised for local customers.

Janus Electric will explain their exchangeable batteries able to power electric heavy vehicles which are changed in four minutes at an electric charge and change station - powered by renewable energy sources like solar or wind. This technology utilises current electrical infrastructure to create a 100% carbon zero solution for electrifying Australia's road transport fleet using renewable energy.

Everyone who drives a truck has a theory about road pavements – what materials should be used, when and where? We will lift the lid on some of the myths at the same time as highlighting innovations in pavement technology. New pavement materials are frequently being trialled such as glass, crushed concrete and rubber, but how effective are they, what impact do certain climatic conditions have, are all potholes created equal?

The heavy vehicle industry already has an enormous amount of technology available to it to increase safety and efficiency. The pace of innovation is such that it is tempting to think we will be left behind if we’re don’t adopt the latest trend. Our conference speakers will help put some of the latest technology into perspective and remind us that we are running a marathon not a sprint.

The conference this year is being jointly held with the national Livestock and Rural Transporters Association so it promises to be bigger than ever. It is not all serious work and we leave plenty of time for fun and frivolity.

You don’t have to be an LRTAWA member to attend and it’s a golden opportunity to get to the heart of those issues that we talk about at roadhouses and truck stops. If you are interested in attending contact jan@lrtawa. org.au for more details.