Low Emission Fuels and Vehicles (LEFV)
Accelerating uptake of LEFV solutions by companies
More governments and companies are setting climate targets, including for freight and logistics, with the end goal of zero emissions before 2050. For shippers that make use of road freight transportation to ship materials and products to their destinations, alternative fuels (biofuels) or electric vehicles (battery electric or hydrogen fuel cells) can be an effective strategy to reduce emissions. Most of them combine ambition with pragmatism: use low emission fuels and electric vehicles where these are viable today and transition towards zero emission freight vehicles over the next decade that run on electricity and/or green hydrogen.
The Low Emission Fuels and Vehicles (LEFV) project is carried out under the Global Logistics Emissions Council (GLEC) that is managed by Smart Freight Centre. The project started in March 2020 and aims to remove barriers and accelerate the uptake of LEFV solutions by shippers and LSPs as freight buyers, in particular those with consumer-facing products and road freight trucking in Europe, their carriers and other relevant stakeholders.
The Low Emission Fuels and Vehicles (LEFV) project is carried out under the Global Logistics Emissions Council (GLEC) that is managed by Smart Freight Centre. The project started in March 2020 and aims to remove barriers and accelerate the uptake of LEFV solutions by shippers and LSPs as freight buyers, in particular those with consumer-facing products and road freight trucking in Europe, their carriers and other relevant stakeholders.
What will the project deliver?
- Introductory guide: LEFV for road freight.This was the first output in September 2020 as a common starting point for different stakeholders who have a role to play in this transition: freight transport operators (‘carriers’), freight transport buyers (‘shippers’), energy and infrastructure providers, vehicle and engine manufacturers (‘OEMs’) and policy makers. The report explains the fundamentals of low emission fuels and energy sources, the current landscape, industry experience and perspectives, and the ‘Total Emissions of Operation’ or TEO concept to supplement the TCO or total cost of operation.
- Emissions calculation and reporting. A second objective is to make emission calculations from LEFV applications across different modes more consistent and reliable, building on the GLEC Framework for Logistics Emissions Accounting and Reporting. The focus is on aligning calculation methodologies with the new ISO 14083 standard and relevant policies and schemes, and on developing a common approach for, and an up-to-date set of, emission factors across modes (module 1 of the GLEC Framework).
- Information and collaboration. A “LEFV Matrix” will be developed with (political, economic, social, technical and environmental) information that companies need to decide what LEFV solutions to select and which countries to prioritize. This is combined with SFC support to shippers, logistics suppliers and other partners to collaborate on implementing LEFV solutions today, in particular for medium and heavy duty trucks. The initial focus is on Europe, starting with France.
Why should you join this project?
Companies and other organizations can participate as follows
- Give feedback on emission factor updates and their application for low emission fuels
- Help shape the LEFV Matrix and share available information for relevant European countries
- Explore collaboration with other shippers and institutions/players to work with each country
- Access to an updated list of emission factors for low emission fuels
- Enhanced understanding of their application
- Get more complete and reliable emission calculation results and information on LEFV solutions in different countries
- Increase speed and effectiveness of LEFV solutions implementation through collaboration
- Action towards Climate-friendly Transport (ACT) initiative
- Transport Decarbonisation Alliance, currently chaired by the Netherlands
- ALICE (the Alliance for Logistics Innovation and Collaboration in Europe
- ADEME France
Project timeframe
- Introductory guide: LEFV for road freight: published September 2020
- LEFV Matrix France: expected publication in May 2021
- Process for replicating LEFV matrices for other European countries and regular updating: May 2021
- Start support to collaboration between companies on LEFV solutions: February 2021
- Case studies on collaboration projects including results on LEFV implementation: December 2021
- GLEC guideline on collaboration for companies to use for future collaborations: December 2021
How can you get involved?
For more information contact: Rik Arends, rik.arends@smartfreightcentre.org, or Eszter Toth-Weedon, eszter.toth-weedon@smartfreightcentre.org
