Step by step to greener heavy load transports
The government of the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) has approved a policy for heavy road and railfreight transport that will reduce the sector’s carbon footprint. The first step will see a two-year trial to give extra-mass zero-emissions heavy vehicles, which weigh more due to their batteries, access to the state’s road network. This means the industry can invest in the technology without sacrificing the payloads that underpin the freight business.
An online comparison tool has also been developed, providing a free resource for the freight industry to obtain accurate information on the cost and environmental benefits of low and zero-emissions vehicles.
Freight accounts for 25% of the greenhouse gases emitted by transport in NSW. Demand is projected to rise by 34% by 2061, so the time to act is now, the government said. (ben)