Powering ahead to net zero

There’s been a bit of a lull in policy announcements, most likely linked to the recent local elections, while policymakers continue to work on the details of the ‘Zero emissions road freight’ (ZERF) demonstrations and other initiatives aimed at decarbonising the UK’s freight sector.

Zemo Partnership reached the grand old age of 20 this year. It’s given me cause to pause (if very briefly) and reflect on how far we’ve come in terms of this agenda over the past two decades.

Formed as the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership in 2003, its inception was announced as a central component of the government’s ‘Powering future vehicles’ strategy. Alongside specific targets for sales of low-emission cars and buses, the foreword to the strategy – written by then prime minister Tony Blair – attached “particular importance to the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership”.

He said the ‘Powering future vehicles’ strategy “makes the UK the first country to set itself a target for shifting its mainstream motoring over to low carbon technology, helping the environment, improving motoring, and helping build competitive advantage for the UK’s auto industries, as the global market demands increasingly cleaner vehicles.”

The strategy had relatively little to say on the commercial vehicle sector, focusing primarily on light vehicles and buses. However, it did assert that the “government is also committed to continuing to press for carbon savings from the heavy goods vehicle sector. Data is not currently available on heavy goods vehicle emissions. However, fuel cost is already significant to vehicle operators in this sector, and is a powerful driver for more efficient, and therefore lower carbon, vehicles.”

World-first commitment

We’ve certainly come a long way since then and decarbonising road freight is now at the centre of the government’s policy focus for transport. It has even felt confident enough to commit the UK to becoming the first country in the world to phase out sales of new, non-zero emission HGVs weighing 26 tonnes and under by 2035, and all new HGVs by 2040.

A great deal of work has been going on in the background to deliver the robust data on which to base new policies and Zemo has been an important partner of government in delivering that. We worked, for example, on the development of an ultra-low emission truck standard and in support of the ‘Low emission freight and logistics trial’.

A lot of past work is now coming to fruition as we see many new zero emission trucks brought to market, but supporting incentives still need further work.

Zemo has been working closely with government and members to support the new Plug-in Truck Grant scheme; developing test plans, reviewing and analysing test data and providing technical guidance for applicants.

We’ve been supporting the government’s work around the ZERF programme; the Energy Savings Trust in the development of the Freight Portal, which dispenses key advice to operators; the fuel industry (and the Treasury) via our ‘Renewable fuel assurance scheme’; and industry to help deliver its carbon reduction commitment.

Niche challenges

As we’ve made progress in moving the mainstream truck market along the road to zero, we’ve recently turned our attention to the decarbonisation challenges in the less-discussed niches, namely ancillary systems and non-road mobile machinery.

So while cars and buses have taken the headlines, I’m proud of the contribution to the quieter progress that Zemo has made in laying the foundations for the decarbonisation of UK freight. There’s a long way still to travel, but the journey is well under way.

We’ll be reflecting on the past 20 years of road transport decarbonisation and looking to the future at Zemo’s 20th Anniversary Conference to be held in City Hall, London on Clean Air Day, June 15. Do come and join us! For details and to book tickets, see zemo.org.uk/Zemo20Zero

■ Andy Eastlake, CEO, Zemo Partnership