Climate change is on everyone’s lips, and fossil fuels are becoming scarce. Commercial vehicles currently cause around a third of greenhouse gas emissions in the transport sector. In particular, heavy long-distance road freight transport, which today runs almost exclusively on diesel fuel, is a major cause of CO2 emissions in road freight transport due to the high mileage.
The classic diesel engine could soon be obsolete. Because the CO2 emitted accelerates global warming. At the same time, methods such as fracking, which make additional oil reserves accessible, cause severe environmental pollution. Alternative drives offer various advantages. Above all, they help to reduce emissions and noise and are therefore suitable for urban logistics. When considering which technologies might make strategic sense for a specific application or location, it makes sense to take a closer look at the current alternatives. Alternative drives such as natural gas (CNG, LNG), hydrogen or electromobility, as well as alternative fuels, enable the more environmentally friendly use of commercial vehicles.
Hydrogen as a fuel in transport logistics
Hydrogen technology is so crucial to the energy transition because it is a simple way to make the best possible use of electricity from renewable energies such as wind and sun and to store energy when needed. For vehicles that have to achieve ahigh mileage that is beyond the capabilities of battery-electric vehicles, hydrogen represents an option for climate-friendly mobility. Electrically powered trucks – Electric trucks are powered exclusively or primarily by electric motors instead of combustion engines. Instead of conventional fuels, the electric trucks are powered by batteries that have to be charged via an external energy source. The environmental protection factor plays a central role when it comes to electric trucks. Electric vehicles run emission-free and have fewer parts that are prone to wear or damage than conventional trucks. This means that not only are maintenance costs cheaper, but the environment is also protected at the same time.
RINNEN test Electric Trucks – In a pilot project in collaboration with Mercedes Benz, RINNEN tested the possible uses of an electric truck on selected routes.
The eActros e300 is equipped with three batteries. Each of these special lithium-ion batteries really packs a punch, with an installed capacity of around 112 kWh. This means a total battery capacity that enables a distance of up to 330 km, although the exact range can vary depending on, among other things, topography, driver behavior, outside temperature, load and structure. Electrically powered trucks are currently subject to dangerous goods restrictions, keyword: EX protection, i.e. Protection against the occurrence of explosions. The lower maximum payload (i.e. what can actually be loaded) due to the higher weight of the tractor also had to be taken into account in the planning. After rigorous testing, the results are evaluated and options for economical use are examined. RINNEN is also planning to purchase an electric forklift for empty containers, a further step towards a more sustainable future.
Is LNG an alternative? – LNG stands for Liquefied Natural Gas. LNG is liquefied natural gas that is cryogenic. LNG means “natural gas, cryogenic liquefied”. LNG is natural gas liquefied at -162°C and is an environmentally friendly and clean fuel for road transport. Compared to a diesel engine, an LNG drive emits almost 100 percent less sulfur oxide, and particulate matter,15 to 20 percent less CO2, 70 percent less nitrogen oxides and up to 50percent less noise. Alternative fuel E-Fuel – E-fuel (from English electro fuel, also known as synfuels or electricity-based synthetic fuels [1]) refers to synthetic fuels that are produced from water and carbon dioxide (CO2) using electrical energy. This process is referred to as power-to-fuel. Since several loss-intensive conversion stages have to be completed during the
production and use of e-fuels, the energy balance when using e-fuels is fundamentally worse than with other types of drive –especially in comparison to electromobility. The climate protection effect also depends heavily on the electricity mix used for production. If the electricity to generate e-fuels is obtained entirely from renewable sources or nuclear energy and theCO2 required for production is taken from the atmosphere or from sustainably obtained biomass, combustion engines can be operated in a climate neutral manner using e-fuels. However, even small proportions of fossil electricity significantly worsen the climate balance. With larger proportions of fossil electricity, the emissions from e-fuels exceed those from fossil fuels several times over.
Alternative fuel HVO100 diesel
The name HVO stands for Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil. In comparison to diesel fuel, HVO 100diesel is obtained from renewable sources. HVO is a synthetic biofuel made from renewable raw materials. Itis considered particularly sustainable if the biomass comes from so-called second and third generations, as is mandatory in Germany. This means, for example, that no raw materials that could also be used in food production are used, but rather high-quality waste and residues and, in the future, even algae. During hydrogenation, the vegetable oil is converted into hydrocarbons through a catalytic reaction with hydrogen and can therefore also be used as a pure fuel (HVO 100) or mixed with conventional fossil diesel in any ratio. HVO 100 diesel is not to be confused with the “biodiesel” of the first Generation, the fatty acid methyl ester (FAME), which can currently be added to 30% (B30) of conventional fossil diesel fuel. Biodiesel has only a slightly higher viscosity than diesel fuel and therefore has similar flow properties. The density, ignitability and cold properties of both fuels are also about the same order of magnitude. Each of these alternatives has its advantages and disadvantages and could actually represent an alternative in the future. However, depending on the type of drive, higher costs, less payload, inefficient infrastructure, lack of ADR approval or excessively long charging or refueling times are currently real “show-stoppers”, not least on the part of our clients.
