Are You Neutral On Carbon?

Only those who have spent quite a long time living in a bunker will have failed to notice the groundswell of activism related to global warming and our planet’s future. Whether its mass protests in cities worldwide or the political doublespeak of governments, the call for the mass decarbonisation of how we live and work is being heard loud and clear.

Unfortunately, it’s sometimes debatable whether that message is translating into meaningful action. Do these efforts have any chance of making a difference as the global consequences become increasingly apparent? Those are the biggest questions of all.

Biofuelling The Argument

It’s fair to say that the UK government is paying more than lip service to the issues surrounding decarbonisation. The target to be a fully carbon-neutral economy by 2050 is a legal commitment although there are voices that say it’s not soon enough.

Biofuels have an essential part to play in the decarbonisation agenda, as they are manufactured using carbon-neutral raw materials such as food and wood waste. The end product is bioethanol that can be used in vehicles designed to run on this fuel or combined with fossil fuel to improve its environmental profile.

Funding The Future

Transport Secretary Grant Schapps recently announced government funding for four biofuel plants. These, once operational, will offer carbon-neutral fuelling options to transport industries.

Active projects currently funded by the £20m ‘Future Fuels for Flight and Freight Competition’ include work by KEW Projects and Rika Biogas who have received a share of £6.5m to build biofuel plants for use by the logistics and aviation sectors.

An additional £25m in funding is available via the ‘Advanced Biofuels Demonstration Competition’. Current beneficiaries include Nova Pangaea Technologies who are making great strides in developing green biofuels made from sustainable sources.

Commenting on the projects, Grant Schapps said: "This funding will help encourage innovative technology using today’s waste to power tomorrow’s green transport revolution, helping us reach a cleaner and greener future.

Time To Go Green

Biofuel funding is an essential element in the UK’s environmental target attainment. In combination with advances in EV technologies, urban clean air zones and other low emission innovations, biofuel R&D helps to rank the UK’s decarbonisation efforts as some of the most advanced in the G20.

Estimates show that research and deployment of low carbon biofuels will prevent 85 million tonnes of CO2 entering the environment by 2032. That’s the equivalent of 18 million cars worth of carbon emissions and around one-third of the target contribution expected from the logistics and transport sector. If those figures can be achieved, it will make the investments and funding in biofuels very worthwhile.

At this stage, it’s worth mentioning the Truckcraft team’s efforts in this vital area. Using biofuels in combination with our solar-assisted delivery vehicles is undoubtedly a winning combination. The up-to 5% fuel savings on offer along with the carbon neutrality of biofuels makes this hybrid vehicle one of the most versatile and greenest available today.

We’re proud to have developed this groundbreaking innovation for both the logistics sector and for our precious environment.

For more information on our approaches to decarbonisation, please contact the Truckcraft Bodies sales team on 0161 304 9404. Alternatively, email glen.pinder@truckcraftbodies.co.uk or emma.jane@truckcraftbodies.co.uk.

Published: Jan 20