Reducing CO2 Emissions
Diesel engine emissions have long been an important issue for the road transport industry. The emphasis in the past has mainly been on the particulates that irritate the lungs and the nitrous oxides that help create smog. Increasingly stringent Euro emissions standards introduced progressively over the past decade or so have significantly reduced the quantity of pollutants emitted from diesel engines, thanks to the work of the engine manufacturers.
A new emissions challenge facing the industry is carbon dioxide and the impact this has on climate change. Heavy trucks are quite significant emitters of CO2 and in the face of the growing freight task in Australia and New Zealand, there is pressure mounting on the truck industry to limit the growth in greenhouse gas emissions. By focusing on fleet productivity improvements and cost savings, TOMR is set to play a big part in helping fleets meet greenhouse emissions targets. Through the more efficient use of diesel fuel and better utilisation of existing truck and trailer capacity, fleets can not only save money but can also lower carbon emission rates per truck and reduce their overall carbon footprint. In the future this could lead to carbon credit or carbon offset trading opportunities.
By international standards, Australia and New Zealand can boast highly competitive road transport industries. However, the combined challenges of an increasing freight task and the impact of exhaust emissions on climate change make further productivity improvements an imperative for heavy road transport.
For more information on Reducing CO2 Emissions please contact Greg Turner at gturner@tomr.com.au