ERIG-study on emission reduction potentials of various technologies in long-distance heavy goods transport by 2030

The research project Renewable Long-Haul Road Transport Considering Technology Improvements and European Infrastructures (ReHaul), initiated by ERIG (www.erig.eu), has been completed with the publication of the report. The DVGW research centre at EBI of KIT has investigated the defossilisation of heavy-duty road transport with the Swiss University of Applied Sciences as part of the ERIG-community. Using the four different fuel types electricity, hydrogen, methane (biomethane, e-methane) and e-diesel (Fischer-Tropsch-Diesel, HVO), the technical development, infrastructure requirements, practicability and costs were estimated in order to achieve the 2030 greenhouse gas reduction targets. The DVGW Research Centre at EBI of KIT has investigated the defossilisation of heavy-duty road transport with the Swiss University of Applied Sciences as part of the ERIG community. Using the four different fuel types electricity, hydrogen, methane (biomethane, e-methane) and e-diesel (Fischer-Tropsch-diesel, HVO), the technical development, infrastructure requirements, practicability and costs were estimated in order to achieve the greenhouse gas reduction targets for 2030. The study shows that bio and synthetic renewable fuels represent an overall compelling option for decarbonising long-distance heavy-duty road transport, both in the short term and in the long term. This is thanks to the primary energy potential of synthetic fuels. The newer technologies of battery electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles have recognised strengths in terms of overall efficiency and cost. As long as commercialisation and infrastructure development continues, they can be expected to have an impact in the medium to long term. However, current European legislation deviates from the scientific approach of assessing all GHG emissions over the entire life cycle or, as simplified in this study, from tank to wheel. Thus, if a regulation only considers tank-to-wheel emissions, battery electric and hydrogen vehicles have an unfair advantage as they have no GHG emissions in this part of the life cycle. Other renewable biological and synthetic options have a disadvantage as their tank-to-wheel emissions are considered as bad as those of conventional fossil fuels. This regulatory approach is in contrast to the results of the evaluation of the exclusive scenarios in this study. The scientific team that carried out the study advises that the following parameters should be taken into account in EU regulation:

• Long-term security for investments in vehicles and infrastructure by establishing clear European rules.
• Definition of technology-neutral regulations that prescribe the same strict targets for greenhouse gas emissions for all technologies. ("Greenwashing" must be avoided)
• The targets for reducing GHG emissions should at least be well-to-wheel (WtW) approaches if it is not practically possible to consider the entire life cycle (LCA).