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Last week, U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced that the Department of Energy is taking aim at the long-overlooked trucking industry, awarding $115 million toward "super truck" efficiency projects.
The majority of the financing is directed toward improving Class 8 fuel efficiency, and grants were awarded to companies such as Cummins Inc., Navistar, and Daimler Trucks North America to develop technologies to halve fuel use in heavy trucks, shrink the size of the engine, and develop a cleaner diesel engine.
Heavy trucks have enormous potential for greater efficiency and fossil fuel reduction. An infusion of cash into the industry can pay off big, helping reduce dependence on foreign oil and stimulating the economy.
But has this investment been made wisely? Trucking experts at Rocky Mountain Institute say key factors will determine whether or not we get a bang for the bucks.
The Challenge of Bringing Innovation to Market
Hiroko Kawai and Mike Simpson of RMI's Mobility and Vehicle Efficiency practice point out that while innovation is valuable, the focus needs to be expanded to application.
"Innovations have to be encouraged and supported," Kawai said. "But, funding must reduce the cost of innovation and implementation. We need to challenge companies to not stop at a demonstration project, but produce marketable technologies that are directly applicable to the industry."
Simpson said there is opportunity now to move past the incremental. "Plenty of technologies exist today to double trucking efficiency," he said. "The true challenge lies in overcoming the barriers -- industry risk-aversion, low profit margins -- that are keeping these technologies from penetrating the market."
Design
Nice, but...
Kelly's thesis is fine - one must include all stakeholders and come up with technologies and practices that will actually be adopted if we are to succeed. Yawn.
Like so many blog posts there is no beef here. How about sharing some of the actual technologies and practices? How about a picture of a cool looking truck?
If we are to get people and industry excited we need to be excited, not put to sleep.
Green Trucking
Why is there no talk of natural gas as a bridge fuel to the future? In country, easier to convert, more economical
greener and it works NOW.
Seems to be a legislation issue to me.
Walmart has been pushing to half the transport truck fuel used to move cargo to stores. You can: a) try to improve fuel efficiency through the use of hugely complex engine additions and air flow improvement etc. or b) couple two(+) trailers to one tractor unit. Here in Saskatchewan, land trains are permitted for use on divided highway up to 3 complete trailers (11 trailer axles + tractor @ +230,000lbs). More common are twin trailer setups like the ones use by Bison Transport for Walmart and other retailers http://www.bisontransport.com/BisonWeb2007/news/2009/Shippers_Choice_Awa...
Compare that to neighbouring Minnesota that allows a maximum of one trailer and a maximum GVW of 80,000lbs regardless of axle configuration. Change the transport laws and fuel consumption per ton of cargo will plummet.
green trucks to reduce carbon footprints
the thing is that hybrids and alternate fuels have to become a mainstream attractive proposition , the environment is too burdened and cannot bear the weight of fossil fuel carbon footprints too much longer, so great that green trucks are roaring ahead