Motor Transport Decarbonisation Power Players 2022 by Motor Transport

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Get wise... and decarbonise! We help ﬂeets become more efﬁcient and decarbonise, using our powerful optimisation algorithms and evidenced based analysis approach.

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Welcome T

he heavy commercial vehicle road freight sector is facing a massive period of change as it prepares for a low/zero

In association with

carbon future. With the phase out of dieselpowered trucks now in the sights of the UK

legislators, this is no longer a topic that can be ignored and there is a need for action from all areas of the sector. The activities of the COP26 Climate Conference last year and the associated UK government announcements has signalled a

CONTENTS

Leading lights Motor Transport’s Decarbonisation Power Players intends to assist the industry in its shift to a zero-carbon future. Our sponsors outline why they are involved in this important step forward

Number 1 Justin Laney, partner and general manager, central transport, John Lewis Partnership

Numbers 2 and 3 Peter Harris, VP, international sustainability, UPS Graeme Cooper, head of future markets, National Grid

Numbers 4 and 5 Philip Fjeld, CEO, CNG Fuels Sam Clarke, chief vehicle officer, Gridserve

determination from politicians and legislators to drive the UK transport sector to a zerocarbon future, laying out clear milestones for the next 20 years. To facilitate change the transport and logistics industry is acting to prepare the vehicles, the infrastructure and the operating models that will be required for the new low-carbon/zeroemission future. The Motor Transport Decarbonisation Power Players celebrates those trailblazers who are driving the industry forward as it plays its part in delivering a more sustainable society.

Steve Hobson Editor, Motor Transport, DVV Media International

6, 7, 8 and 9 10 Numbers David Landy, head of fleet, Evri Rob King and Sam Keam, co-founders and co-CEOs, Zedify Ian Clough, MD, network logistics and transport, UK and Ireland, DHL Supply Chain David Horsfall, director, Tyseley Energy Park

10, 11, 12 and 13 11 Numbers Graham Thomas, fleet operations manager, Ocado James Westcott, CCO, Gasrec Magnus Hammick, COO, Green Biofuels Colin Marriott; general manager, fleet, Centrica

14, 15, 16 and 17 12 Numbers Olly Craughan, head of sustainability, DPD Matt Ralfe, innovation and change manager, Nottingham City Council Andrew Owens, chairman/founder, Greenergy Andy Street, mayor, West Midlands

Supplement editor Contributors Production editor Design © 2022 DVV Media International Ltd Published by DVV Media International Ltd, First Floor, Chancery House, St Nicholas Way, Sutton, Surrey SM1 1JB motortransport.co.uk Printed by William Gibbons

Steve Hobson Andy Salter, Hayley Tayler Clare Goldie Gareth Burgess

18, 19, 20 and 21 13 Numbers Tony Stuart, head of logistics operations support, Hovis Kevin Welstead, sector director, electric vehicles, SSE

Terry Pycroft, head of fleet services, Leeds City Council Bob Moran, deputy director, decarbonisation strategy, DfT

22, 23, 24 and 25 14 Numbers Vince Dignam, business performance and transport manager, City of London Boley Smilie, CEO, Guernsey Post Justin Meyer, MD, Swarco Andy Eastlake, CEO, Zemo Partnership

MOTOR TRANSPORT / DECARBONISATION POWER PLAYERS 3

Power Players leading lights

The Motor Transport Decarbonisation Power Players is the first in a series of initiatives intended to assist the industry in its shift to a zero-carbon future. Our sponsors outline why they are getting involved in this important step forward

he road freight transport sector has been set a major task to decarbonise its future. At last year’s COP26 summit in Glasgow, the UK government signed up to a commitment to shift the car, van and truck fleet to a zero-emission (at the tailpipe at least) future. This drive to decarbonise the road transport sector has laid out a clear plan for the phasing out of diesel-powered vans by 2030 and all trucks by 2040. In less than 20 years, if these plans come to fruition, the UK’s roads and DCs will be very different to today. Our Power Players series celebrates and signals the major steps forward many in the industry have already taken to transform operations, be it through new vehicle acquisition, operational modes or the development of new systems and processes to enable the shift.

“Sustainably

are going to meet

While much of the current drive has been on the electrification of cars, the focus for change will shift to commercial vehicles. Our inaugural Power Players listing signals there has already been a huge amount achieved by logistics operators, suppliers and other stakeholders in the sector.

our climate

Scania takes positive action

produced biofuels are crucial if we

targets as a sector“

4 MOTOR TRANSPORT / DECARBONISATION POWER PLAYERS

Tanya Neech, Scania GB head of sustainability, says: “Decarbonisation is the hot topic. We need to make 2022 count by taking positive action. Our involvement in Motor Transport’s Power Players shows our support towards those making a difference.” Although positive overall, COP26 showed there is still a long way to go. The pledges made, phasing out fossil-fuel subsidies and the new global

emissions trading framework were important outcomes, but also revealed the barriers preventing faster decarbonisation. However, the balance of power is shifting, as the industry is starting to lead by example. Scania is doing so by endorsing the Global Memorandum of Understanding to support zero-emission new vehicle sales by 2040. But decarbonisation isn’t for tomorrow. It’s about seizing the initiative today. Andreas Foller, head of sustainability at Scania, says: “Sustainably produced biofuels are crucial if we are going to meet our climate targets as a sector. Our science-based carbon reduction targets supported by real products and services, make our voice strong when talking to governments, organisations and industry partners.” Unlike any other OEM, Scania has invested in the engineering and technology to offer a range of vehicles that can be powered by a complete suite of renewable fuels, all of which are available today. From the biomethane options with bioLNG and bioCNG to HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil), which can be used in any diesel Scania truck without any modification, and biodiesel, which is made from a variety of organic sources. Even the newest internal combustion engine (ICE) platform, Scania Super, has been built with renewable fuels in mind. Its new Modular Architecture Chassis (MACH) is flexible enough to meet every customer’s needs, including using renewable fuels. Scania GB transformation director Karima Haji says: “Energy efficiency is part of our heritage. For almost three decades we have offered the broadest range of products that can run on alternative or renewable fuels. Reducing carbon emissions cannot wait. We need to act here and now. The introduction of fuel-efficient engines that can be run on renewable fuels is a powerful tool for making the shift happen.” Supporting the shift to decarbonisation is the emergence of improving battery electric vehicles (BEV) and plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEV). Last year saw the launch of the latest generation hybrid trucks. They have an electric-only range up to 60km and can run on biodiesel or HVO. This is another significant step in the company’s journey to full electrification. While the 29-tonne BEV has a range up to 250km, trials are ongoing to develop heavier applications. Over the next three years, the road to electrification will see heavier BEVs capable of running with 40- or 60-tonne loads, alongside developments in fast-charging and battery innovations. And by 2025, Scania will have BEVs designed for construction, mining and long haulage.

The Algorithm People meets the challenge

The application of new technology will have a huge part to play in enabling the industry’s shift to zero carbon operation and managing the complexity of new vehicle operations. Whatever the vehicle fuel of the future – be it electric, hydrogen, gas or clean diesel – vehicle operators, planners and those

OPTIMISE: The Algorithm People CEO Colin Ferguson says fleets will thrive through route and schedules optimisation

“With a shift in fuel type, the industry is faced with a whole set of new operating variables“

charged with maintaining the vehicles have a major challenge ahead. The Algorithm People (TAP) has a powerful suite of computer algorithms, and online pay-asyou-go cloud route optimisation service, called My Transport Planner, to assist operators in unpacking those challenges. CEO Colin Ferguson says: “It’s our belief optimisation of routes, schedules, vehicles, drivers and collection and delivery points is essential if fleets are to thrive in the zero-carbon environment. With a shift in fuel type, the industry is faced with a whole set of new operating variables as fossil fuels are phased out. We have to get our heads round new charging and fuelling infrastructures, vehicle payload to battery discharge rates, the inter-operability of a mix-fuelled fleet, not to mention the uncertainty of legislation, particularly regarding regional clean air zones.” The company takes an evidence-based approach to assisting operators with their journey to zero carbon, says director of partners and corporate accounts Natalie Hughes. “Armed with historic delivery schedule data from our clients, we can deploy our My Transport Planner algorithms to model the impact of a shift to zero carbon fuel types. This benchmarking will demonstrate, firstly the efficiency benefit of fully optimising the current vehicle fleet, then allow us to understand what would be required with a shift to a new fuel type – new duty cycles, vehicle requirements or the optimum use of the recharging infrastructure, for instance.” Furthermore, while TAP’s services have an important part to play in assisting fleets in their new vehicle decision-making, the bigger benefit from optimisation will come in the business as usual operation of these trucks, continues Ferguson. “The day-to-day planning requirements of a busy traffic office are about to get a whole lot more complex as we integrate new vehicle types into the fleets,” he says. “These will have different fuelling requirements and operating capabilities. Optimisation, to maximise the efficiency of the operations, will be key to the success of future modern transport operations.”

MOTOR TRANSPORT / DECARBONISATION POWER PLAYERS 5

Justin Laney Partner and general manager, central transport JLP

ohn Lewis Partnership (JLP) won the Motor Transport Low Carbon Award in 2020, and Justin Laney, partner and general manager of central transport, has a clear plan to move his entire HGV fleet to biomethane by 2028 and the delivery and home services fleet to electric by 2030. This plan has scale and ambition, covering 600 HGVs, 750 refrigerated trailers and 4,000 cars, vans and light trucks. Laney believes the future will be a mix of alternative low-carbon fuels – biofuel, gas, battery electric and electrified roads – and each will have a role to play at different stages on the road to net zero emissions. For JLP this means its HGV fleet is already making the transition from diesel to biomethane and its home delivery fleet is moving to battery electric. “We have made good progress on the gas trucks and have 347 out of 600 HGVs,” he says. “On electric, we have 25 in service, mainly small vans but including seven refrigerated and wirelessly 6 MOTOR TRANSPORT / DECARBONISATION POWER PLAYERS

charged grocery vans for home delivery.” The company plans to eliminate fossil fuels from its home delivery fleet using a range of electric vehicles, including new entrant Arrival’s purpose-built offering, which Laney rates highly. “We are due to get our first four trial vehicles in the fourth quarter of this year,” he says. “There are other players in the market and we are interested in the plans of the other mainstream OEMs because we don’t think there’s a long-term future in adapting diesel chassis into electric vehicles. Some are talking about vehicles like Arrival and, for us, that would be an attractive option. “You can operate electric vehicles at higher weights than diesel vans – you can go to 4.25 tonnes. To get an extra half-tonne payload (750kg extra over a 3.5-tonne diesel van, but it’ll probably weigh 250kg more unladen) is a massive advantage in terms of productivity. That drives the business case as they give us a 2-tonne payload, which is what we use on a 7.5-tonner. So it takes us out of Cat C licences and O-licensing.” Electrification of JLP’s entire fleet should be completed by 2035. But why the need to switch to electric for HGVs if the biomethane supplied by CNG Fuels is working so well? “We haven’t had supply problems with biomethane but there’s probably not enough for everybody as some of the big players – such as Amazon and Royal Mail – come in for it,” Laney explains. “You can argue for battery electric, but the battery you’d need would be enormous, so that wouldn’t happen for the long-distance sector. Or you could argue hydrogen, but it’s inefficient and very expensive.”

Going for biomethane

Laney looked at a low-carbon biodiesel such as HVO before opting for gas. “There were two reasons we favoured biomethane: it’s cheaper and there’s more available. Biodiesel costs more per litre and you use a bit more of it so there is a double whammy on costs. “The other worry is that most biodiesel is made from used cooking oil and a lot of that is coming from Asia. There it is used for animal feed, so if you divert it away from that you have to look for other sources such as palm oil, which can lead to deforestation.” A problem with biomethane, Laney says, is that it only provides an 80% reduction in carbon emissions. JLP is determined to get that to 100% with electricity, preferably with battery electric for the light to medium vehicles and a combination of batteries and overhead catenaries for HGV fleet. “For long-distance HGVs it can’t be batteries because they will take hours charging in laybys, so it has to be catenary or hydrogen,” Laney says. “In long, thin countries like Norway and Sweden on routes where truck density is not high, hydrogen has the advantage of low infrastructure costs, so that is probably going to work. “But for the UK, where we have high-density routes, you could cover the infrastructure cost of

catenaries and I’m confident that catenary would come out a lot cheaper than hydrogen – and be more doable because the challenge of generating that amount of hydrogen and distributing it around the country is colossal.”

Energy consumption

While several truck makers are investing in hydrogen fuel-cell technology – with several trials under way worldwide, hydrogen does not figure in Laney’s plan. “I’m not convinced by hydrogen,” he says. “The problem is it takes a lot of energy to make it and a lot more to compress it to the levels people are talking about. And the fuel cells aren’t that efficient. Overall, you put 100 units of power in and get 25 out. It uses approximately three times more energy than catenary, and that’s likely to be a proxy for operating cost so it doesn’t compete well with catenary or biomethane.” With a catenary, an overhead wire would power battery electric trucks through a pantograph – like a train – on motorways, leaving their batteries fully charged to run the final miles. Laney is looking forward to a proposed UK trial project that should address the perceived problem of the UK running trailers that vary in height from 4m up to 4.95m. “Siemens is confident it has that nailed,” he says. “In the UK you can’t go higher than 5m because of the maximum bridge height. We run double-deckers at 4.95m to use every last centimetre we can. The pantograph design will cope with a 1m variation in the height of the vehicle and there will be a break in the wire under bridges or tunnels. “Having said that, there are some interesting developments in biofuels, some of which can be zero or negative carbon. To date we’ve only considered biofuels from waste materials, but there are some interesting developments in properly sustainable energy crops, ones that don’t displace food crops. That, coupled with circular economy farming, could play an important role in the future. It’s an area that we are watching closely. Biofuels don’t generally provide the zero tailpipe solution that the DfT wants, but overall they can be lower carbon than zero tailpipe solutions, so there is great potential there.” Laney is not forgetting his 750 refrigerated trailers, which will have to move away from diesel-powered fridge motors by 2045. “The plan is to run them on elec tricity using alternator drive from the biomethane tractors,” he says. “We have 50 of these going in now on top of 13 we have on trials. The end

of red diesel has increased the rate of fitting of those Frigoblock units. “We are also installing more plug-in facilities in the yards though some sites have more than others. Our Leyland site has had plug-in on every bay from day one and that works really well.” Laney did investigate the now-defunct Dearman engine system that uses liquid nitrogen to power a fridge compressor. “The concept was that the liquid nitrogen was a by-product of other manufacturing processes, but that doesn’t stack up,” he says. “If it got to maturity this thing that was almost a free by-product would no longer be free and would have a carbon footprint. On balance, alternator drive outweighed the Dearman fridge.”

“There are some really interesting developments in biofuels, some of which can be zero or even negative carbon“

Leader in the field

While Laney is focused on getting the transition to zero carbon right for JLP, he is conscious of his position as a leader of the field who can help convince small- to medium-sized firms to dip a toe in the water before taking the plunge. “Larger operators have the luxury of a fleet engineer and will get engaged in it,” he says. “So it’s up to them to demonstrate it and take some of the pain in the trials. It’s no good if you need an expensive biomethane plant on your site. There’s got to be a public access network of filling stations and a secondhand market. It means the people who buy used trucks have access to the technology. You can’t do something space age – it has to be something that can be used widely long term by everyone.” He agrees that even some of the big operators are adopting a wait-and-see approach. “Some are interested in biomethane and I advise people to borrow a trial vehicle from us and see what they think,” he says. “This is a time of disruption and change and you need to be a smart follower. Don’t ignore it and hope it goes away.” The judges said: “I cannot think of a better person or figurehead for how to make change happen and how to evidence that; Justin Laney sets the pace. He’s somebody who people look up to and people listen to and watch what he does. He is the perfect choice to take the number one position.”

MOTOR TRANSPORT / DECARBONISATION POWER PLAYERS 7

Peter Harris VP, international sustainability

UPS

n his various roles at UPS, Peter Harris, now vice-president for international sustainability, has ensured this global parcel and logistics giant has been right at the cutting edge of sustainability innovations and initiatives, ensuring decarbonisation is at the core of the company’s supply chain strategy. He is obviously one of the road freight sector’s major trailblazers and misses out by a whisker to Justin Laney in this year’s rankings. Through Harris’s energy and drive, UPS has been active across many projects, whether that’s shifting to electric or other alternatives of the commercial vehicle fleet or cargo-bikes for last-mile deliveries, and at any one time has a vast array of initiatives under way, increasingly shifting these from trials to business as usual implementations. Harris has been with UPS since 1989, when he joined as an automotive supervisor, taking various compliance roles before being appointed sustainability director for Europe in 2011 and, since 2019, he now leads the implementation of UPS’s sustainability strategy internationally. In addition to his UPS responsibilities, Harris, like some other power players, sits on the board of the Zemo Partnership, the independent partnership whose purpose is to accelerate the shift to low-carbon vehicles and fuels. He is renowned throughout the world as a thought-leader in the decarbonisation debate, actively promoting the interests of the logistics sector. The judges said: “Peter is incredibly well informed in terms of looking at the environmental impact of technology, such as the true well-to-wheel picture. He’s always there to take part in the discussions and working groups and is very committed and offers lots of support.”

Graeme Cooper Head of future markets

National Grid

ales of electric vehicles and the amount of renewable electricity generation are increasing – but without the wires to connect them together the UK will never meet its 2050 net zero carbon emissions goal. As head of future markets at National Grid, Graeme Cooper is leading the charge on the big – and expensive – decisions that need to be made soon on where investment will be needed to transform our energy landscape. He points out that the Grid’s high-voltage electricity network follows the UK’s trunk roads and the company has earmarked more than 50 motorway service areas that are in prime position to have the huge connection capacity they will need to recharge hundreds of trucks as well as thousands of cars and vans. As a private regulated monopoly, National Grid needs its regulator Ofgem’s approval to spend the billions of pounds necessary and then claw the money back from customers – be they vehicle or site owners. National Grid also operates the UK high-pressure gas pipe network that carries natural gas to most homes and businesses. If the UK moves to biogas or renewable hydrogen at some point, the Grid will also be key to this transition. Whether the future is electricity or hydrogen, the Grid will have a big role to play in the national decarbonisation project. The judges said: “He’s been pushing the door at the DfT, about how we’re going to support trucks. So I think without his voice, and without his desire to help trucks, we would be in a worse state of play than what we’re going to be in next year. So I think he’s been quite powerful in that respect.” 8 MOTOR TRANSPORT / DECARBONISATION POWER PLAYERS

Philip Fjeld CEO CNG Fuels

hilip Fjeld heads up CNG Fuels, which develops, owns, and operates CNG refuelling infrastructure and sources 100% renewable biomethane (bioCNG) for its stations. The business aims to create a UK-wide network of reliable and convenient refuelling facilities to supply HGV operators, and recently opened the world’s largest biomethane station, capable of refuelling up to 80 trucks an hour. Its bioCNG is 100% sourced from waste products including food, animal, and waste water and independently verified and approved by the DfT’s Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO). CNG Fuels works closely with industry in developing its infrastructure on key routes for major operators. As a result, operators are gaining confidence in making the switch to renewable gas-powered vehicles to tap into their decarbonisation and air quality benefits. Well-known firms such as Amazon, Royal Mail and John Lewis Partnership have all committed to using bioCNG on their fleets. Fjeld, alongside colleague Baden Gowrie-Smith, CFO, will trial hydrogen refuelling at gas sites under a new company arm called Hyfuels, which aims to help customers adopt hydrogen quickly and easily when it becomes viable. The trials follow a report from the Committee on Climate Change that said hydrogen-powered HGVs are expected to play a major role in decarbonising freight transport from 2030. The judges said: “I feel like without his work, we wouldn’t be where we are today with gas. He’s pretty much challenged the DfT constantly on the RTFO to get the right framework in place and support gas.”

Sam Clarke Chief vehicle officer

Gridserve

am Clarke is well-known in the industry for his commitment to sustainable transport, particularly his knowledge of electric vehicles. In 2009 he founded green logistics operator Gnewt Cargo, which was acquired in 2017 by Menzies Distribution. During his time at Gnewt, Clarke created the UK’s largest fully electric commercial fleet, the largest privately-owned smart charging infrastructure and UK’s most advanced private V2G network. He has supported numerous trials of the latest green technology, including a collaboration with Mayor of London Sadiq Khan on an Innovate UK-funded project to evaluate the performance and commercial viability of electric vehicles on last-mile deliveries. Clarke has also advised the government’s transport select committee and been invited to speak at the European Commission in Brussels. He now leads the transport arm at sustainable energy firm Gridserve, which develops, builds, owns and operates a ‘sun-to-wheel’ ecosystem of hybrid solar farms, electric vehicle charging, and electric vehicle leasing solutions. His role is to drive mass uptake of electric vehicles through the creation of a net zero electric vehicle leasing division, commercial charging infrastructure builds and support the nationwide network roll out of high-powered electric forecourts as well as the upgrade of the Electric Highway service station network. The judges said: “The powerful thing about Sam is that he’s been very high profile and has been one of the earlier advocates of the electric vehicle transition. He’s also been through that whole journey, from being a vehicle operator of different sizes and he understands the operational challenges.” MOTOR TRANSPORT / DECARBONISATION POWER PLAYERS 9

David Landy

Head of fleet

Evri

s head of fleet at Evri, the parcels delivery firm formerly known as Hermes, David Landy has switched almost half of his 320-strong HGV fleet to Iveco Natural Power tractors running on bioCNG, supplied by CNG Fuels. He is now introducing HVO biodiesel for those trucks that cannot be switched to CNG because of the lack of refueling infrastructure in parts of the UK. Biofuels are, however, just a holding position and Evri is looking at all options to take the fleet zero carbon by 2035, including electric, which Landy is testing. Recently appointed head of environmental, social and governance Nancy Hobhouse calls Landy “amazing” for his pioneering work to cut carbon emissions, which is an especially tough mission in the ultra-competitive world of B2C parcels.

Rob King and Sam Keam Co-founders and co-CEOs

Zedify

ero-emission delivery firm Zedify excelled against stiff competition last year to be crowned Motor Transport Urban Operator of the Year. In doing so, it also became the first cargo bike operator to be recognised at the awards, which demonstrates the transition the industry is on towards cleaner, more sustainable deliveries. The business, which was launched in 2018, has been expanding rapidly into cities across the UK, working collaboratively with local authorities, retailers and third-party freight operators to reduce emissions from traditional van deliveries. It operates from nine major cities and recently secured funding to expand its reach further with an ambition to scale up to 45 hubs in the next four years.

Ian Clough MD, network logistics and transport, UK and Ireland DHL Supply Chain

s MD of network logistics and transport, UK and Ireland, Ian Clough is in charge of the UK’s second-largest truck fleet behind Royal Mail. He is responsible for leading the company’s transport strategy and operations, including delivering the UK and Ireland’s share of Deutsche Post DHL Group’s target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to below 29 million tonnes by 2030 and to be net-zero by 2050. “As part of the world’s largest logistics company, we have a clear set of ambitious environmental targets to achieve, as well as ones to deliver for our customers. To help enable greener supply chains and support customers in their proactive approach to sustainable transport, we continue to work closely with both our customers and partners to find the best solutions. “We are talking to a number of customers with the aim to have more than 500 gas vehicles in operation across the fleet by 2025,” he says.

David Horsfall

Director

Tyseley Energy Park

he director of the Tyseley Energy Park (TEP) project in Birmingham – the UK’s first multi-fuel, open access, low and zero carbon refuelling facility for private and commercial fleets – David Horsfall is passionate in his drive to provide the necessary infrastructure to help operators reduce vehicle emissions in the City of Birmingham. Offering hydrogen, compressed natural gas, biodiesel and electrical vehicle charging options, the unmanned facility is available 24/7 for refuelling with integrated pay at pump options that accept credit, debit and fuel card payments. To get TEP up and running, Horsfall has worked collaboratively with experts from academia, government and industry.

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Graham Thomas Fleet operations manager

Ocado

nline retailer Ocado is a frontrunner when it comes to trialling the latest technology in its fleet. Graham Thomas is passionate about the transition to cleaner, safer fleet vehicles and has regularly shared his knowledge with industry peers at key events to provide insight into the latest Ocado vehicle trials and how new fuels perform in real-life situations and on the road. The grocer has introduced electric delivery vans for its city routes, alongside CNG-fuelled HGVs for longer journeys. As part of Ocado’s commitment to lower carbon emissions, it has also explored electric-assist and pedal-powered micro vehicles, as well as looking at the future of autonomous deliveries.

James Westcott

Chief commercial officer

Gasrec

ames Westcott has been at natural gas refuelling station network operator Gasrec for almost a decade and chief commercial officer responsible for commercial activity including new business development and market strategy for the past

five years. Gasrec, a privately financed firm, opened its flagship refuelling station at the Daventry rail freight terminal in 2013 and since then has invested heavily in building an open-to-all network of refuelling sites large enough to encourage operators to invest in gas vehicles, which can cut carbon emissions by up to 90% when running on biomethane. The financial case of switching to natural gas has been bolstered by the government’s pledge to maintain the 50% duty differential on the duty paid on gas compared with diesel until 2032, albeit with a review in 2024.

Magnus Hammick

COO

Green Biofuels

s HGV operators look for affordable ways to reduce carbon emissions, the use of biofuels as a practical switch from diesel without the need to replace expensive vehicles has come to the forefront. Fuel supplier Green Biofuels has created a robust supply of its Green D+ HVO (hydro-treated vegetable oil) to industry and has worked with a number of prominent operators to help them move to biofuels. Magnus Hammick recently presented to industry, during a Freight in the City webinar, the sustainability benefits of Green D+ HVO, which he said can deliver a 90% reduction in CO2 while cutting NOX and particulate emissions.

Colin Marriott General manager, fleet

Centrica

s general manager, fleet, at British Gas parent Centrica since 2005 Colin Marriott oversees one of the largest and most visible van fleets in the UK. The company is committed to electrifying its 12,000-strong fleet, the third largest in the country, by 2025, five years earlier than its previous commitment and ahead of the 2030 deadline set by the government. It is ordering 2,000 all-electric Vauxhall Vivaro-e vans, the largest electric vehicle order for a commercial fleet in the UK, adding to 1,000 bought last year; all 3,000 will be on the road by the end of the year. Centrica will install chargers at engineers’ homes to allow them to charge the vehicles. MOTOR TRANSPORT / DECARBONISATION POWER PLAYERS 11

Olly Craughan Head of sustainability

DPD

fter a decade with parcels delivery leader DPD, Olly Craughan took on the new role of head of sustainability in November 2021. DPD expanded rapidly during the Covid pandemic, with annual revenue more than doubling since 2015 to more than £2bn and its 22,000-strong team delivering more than 350 million parcels in 2021. The firm’s progress on decarbonisation has been equally impressive and between January 2020 and February 2021 its electric vehicle fleet increased from 149 to 1,700. By the end of 2022, it plans to be operating 3,200 and a year later the ambition is to get to 5,000.

Matt Ralfe Innovation and change manager Nottingham City Council

or the past five years Matt Ralfe has led Nottingham City Council’s fleet electrification programme, which has seen the council go from two to approximately 200 ultra-lowemission vehicles (ULEV), including procuring and embedding the first electric sweeper, cage tipper, minibus and OEM refuse truck in the country. Ralfe has also helped create a specialist ULEV garage to create an efficient, educational centre for mechanics and apprentices to learn how to work with new technology. He has also worked on a number of charging infrastructure, e-mobility and battery storage projects and has helped develop a knowledge-sharing ULEV framework for Nottingham City Council, which is available for other organisations to use when starting their fleet decarbonisation journeys.

Andrew Owens Chairman and founder

Greenergy

s chairman and co-founder of Greenergy, Andrew Owens has carried the flag for the shift to renewable fuels for nearly 30 years. The company was founded as a low-emission fuel supplier and is now Europe’s largest manufacturer of waste-based biodiesel and has developed a complete supply chain to support the business. Although Owens has taken a step back from the coal face of Greenergy activities since 2019, he remains an inspirational figure in the renewable fuel sector, having developed Greenergy from a start-up, launching CityDiesel, to the multi-billion pound business it is today. He remains a prominent voice in the low-carbon sector.

Image: Wikipedia

Andy Street Mayor West Midlands

s the instigator of one of the many regional clean air zones in the UK, Andy Street is an unlikely entrant in the Power Players rankings, but his recognition of the needs of the logistics supply chain in the drive for improved urban air quality and his support for investment in zero-carbon infrastructure in the West Midlands earns him a place among the industry trailblazers. Street has been clear in his push for a clean air revolution to tackle the high levels of urban pollution and has committed to working with industry to develop new clean air technologies and support the roll-out of clean electric vehicles in the West Midlands automotive industry.

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Tony Stuart Head of logistics operations support

Hovis

ony Stuart, who is responsible for the 400-strong Hovis fleet, led the business to win the sought-after Motor Transport Low Carbon Award in 2021. Ensuring the sustainability values of the Hovis brand are demonstrated across the whole business led Stuart to explore a range of technology and fuels to reduce road miles and lower fleet emissions. Stuart has helped shaped the Hovis fleet with fuel-efficient, custom-built urban delivery vehicles, while being one of the first major fleets to commit to a full-fleet switch from diesel to HVO, and subsequently slashing 40,311 tonnes of CO2 by the end of this year.

Kevin Welstead

Sector director, electric vehicles

SSE

s sector director, electric vehicles, at energy giant SSE, Kevin Welstead has overall responsibility for developing and delivering large-scale strategic opportunities in the fields of electric vehicle and smart grid. A leading player in renewable electricity generation, SSE is investing heavily in decarbonising the grid. The company is also building electricity network flexibility and infrastructure to help accommodate 10 million electric vehicles in Britain by 2030 and one of its key goals is to facilitate the connection of an additional 1.3 million electric vehicles in its licence areas by 2028. In addition to this, in September 2021, it launched SSE Green EV – a 100% renewable electric vehicle tariff that supports businesses running, or those thinking of switching to, electric vehicles to cut costs and carbon emissions. SSE is also ahead of schedule to meet its EV100 commitment to switch to a fully electric vehicle fleet and install charging points for its 10,000 employees.

Terry Pycroft Head of fleet services Leeds City Council

erry Pycroft oversees the fleet management and maintenance of Leeds City Council’s 1,300-strong fleet of vehicles. He also supports the council’s alternative fuel strategies, including turn-key vehicle specifications and supply. Pycroft continuously reviews and improves fleet performance, both in terms of efficiency and lowering of environmental impact. Leeds has introduced more than 100 electric vans to its fleet, alongside the supporting charging infrastructure at depots and at homes. The council was also an early adopter of compressed natural gas refuse vehicles.

Bob Moran Deputy director, decarbonisation strategy

DfT

ith a strong vehicle engineering background, Bob Moran has the ideal credentials to ensure the DfT’s decarbonisation strategy not only supports the government’s wider net zero ambition, but also works for those on the front line of industry. With an 18-year career at the DfT, Moran’s role has seen him first focus on safety and roadworthiness through to pioneering work at the Office for Low Emission Vehicles, a cross-government policy unit working to position the UK as a global leader in the design, development, manufacture and deployment of zero-emission vehicles and associated technologies. He is now working on the successful delivery of the government’s vehicle decarbonisation strategy. MOTOR TRANSPORT / DECARBONISATION POWER PLAYERS 13

Vince Dignam Business performance and transport group manager City of London

ince Dignam is the business performance and transport group manager for the City of London and has been in the transport industry for more than 30 years. While his main duties involve co-ordinating the cleansing, waste and transport contracts for the City of London, Dignam has been instrumental in driving the shift to a more sustainable vehicle fleet. Dignam is the O-licence holder for the City of London and has been a front-runner in the application of FORS accreditation in the City, unlocking the road safety and efficiency benefits this has brought to the authority. Since 2008, he has been involved with FORS and the City of London Corporation was one of the first local authorities to gain gold accreditation. He is part of the FORS governance group and in 2017 became chairman of the FORS executive group. He is also a CLOCS champion promoting work-related road risk strategy.

Boley Smilie

Chief executive

Guernsey Post

icking up the 2019 Motor Transport Low Carbon Award, Guernsey Post chief executive Boley Smilie gave all the credit for slashing CO2 emissions by 98%, cutting route mileage by 15% and powering its entire fleet with solar energy to his staff. But his leadership was crucial in transforming the postal operator with Project Green Fleet. This had four key objectives: to cut mileage; eliminate tail-pipe emissions by going electric; generate solar energy to power its fleet; and deliver a financial return on investment. The results were impressive, with 98% of routes converted to van deliveries, ensuring sufficient capacity to meet Guernsey Post’s forecast parcel volumes growth, while the previously separate letters and parcels delivery networks were combined, delivering a 15% reduction in mileage. The next step was to transition to an electric fleet by replacing the firm’s existing diesel vehicles with 33 electric e-NV200 vans, eliminating approximately 129 tonnes of CO2 a year.

Justin Meyer

Swarco

ustin Meyer joined Swarco more than 10 years ago with the remit to drive the e-mobility strategy for the business, first as general manager and since 2021, as MD. During his tenure he has been instrumental in delivering charging networks for more than 90 UK councils and a number of private business, installing approximately 7,000 commercial charging points. The company has deployed major infrastructure projects for a number of councils, as well as project Pace in partnership with SPEN, and has been chosen as the technology and service partner for the rapidly expanding and high-performing network operator Osprey. While best known in Scotland, Swarco has a UK-wide presence and continues to develop its electric vehicle charging infrastructure offer for commercial vehicle operators.

Andy Eastlake

CEO

Zemo Partnership

ndy Eastlake has a strong background in vehicle engineering, specialising in powertrain developments, fuel efficiency and emissions. A founding member of Zemo Partnership in 2003 (previously the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership), he was appointed chief executive in 2021 after 10 years as MD. Zemo is a collaborative organisation bringing together government, industry, academia and other key stakeholders to accelerate the transition to zero-emission vehicles. Eastlake and his team have worked on many projects aimed at helping HGV and van operators to decarbonise, such as the Renewable Fuels Assurance Scheme and the Freight Portal (alongside the Energy Saving Trust). He also works closely with government to shape key initiatives such as the plug-in truck and van grants and the DfT’s low-emission freight trials.

14 MOTOR TRANSPORT / DECARBONISATION POWER PLAYERS

The one-stop industry event that’s all about the truck and everything related to it.

REGISTER NOW Road Transport Expo is the exciting new show taking place at NAEC Stoneleigh from 30 June – 2 July 2022. HGVs will be at the very heart of everything the show will offer visitors, from the latest models on display and available to ‘ride and drive’ through to informative seminars and live demonstrations.

For all exhibitor enquiries, please contact Emma Rowland Tel: 07780 604075 | Email: emma.rowland@roadtransport.com @RTXPO_

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