Independent and technology-agnostic, whole systems modelling helping you to decarbonise heavy goods vehicles
Accelerating road freight to Net Zero
The internationally peer-reviewed Energy System Modelling Environment (ESME) is the UK’s leading techno-economic whole system model – providing in-depth evidence for industry, academia, the Climate Change Committee and the UK Government.
The ESME Freight model assesses low carbon road freight options with detailed and wide-ranging powertrain data and operating profiles to assess fleet implications & infrastructure requirements.
Rather than focus on vehicle weights (like most existing models), we focused on the specific use cases (e.g. long-haul vs. local depot deliveries) to identify the technical specifications needed to achieve zero emissions and the infrastructure that will need to be in place to support the vehicle uptake.
Utilises detailed data on a wide range of powertrains across vehicle categories to assess fleet implications and infrastructure requirements; and capable of linking with our overall ESME model to understand wider energy system influences:
- Vehicle data includes vehicle cost (and, where relevant, trailer) and efficiencies
- Covers multiple vehicle types, powertrain categories, associated fuels and infrastructure
- Considers existing fleet composition, operator investment time horizon and scrappage rate.
Government
Understanding operators’ decision parameters and behaviours to better inform policy interventions and align operators’ choices with the required deployment of technologies and infrastructure.
Industrial & Commercial Operators
Assessing how policy decisions can support freight operators and infrastructure roll-out to facilitate carbon-free powertrains.
Case Studies
Exploring pathways to reduce HGV emissions
UK Energy Research Centre commissioned Energy Systems Catapult and the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK to explore different pathways for reducing freight emissions from Heavy Goods Vehicles.
With little industry momentum and a severe lack of workable low emission prototype vehicles, the challenge was to develop an accurate and usable modelling tool to provide evidence that encouraged the UK transport sector to embrace cleaner alternatives.
Rather than focus on vehicle weights (like most existing models), we focused on the specific use cases (e.g. long-haul vs. local depot deliveries) to identify the technical specifications needed to achieve zero emissions and the infrastructure that will need to be in place to support the vehicle uptake.
The tool was used to engage the Department for Transport on:
- Including operators’ decision parameters and behaviours into modelling to better inform policy interventions and align operators’ choices with the required deployment of technologies and infrastructure.
- Assessing how policy decisions can support freight operators and infrastructure roll-out to facilitate carbon-free powertrains.
Following project completion, we’ve used the tool to engage with the UK Department of Transport and wider industry to explore how they could benefit from enhanced freight modelling to inform policy making.
Contact Us – Whole Systems & Networks
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Find out more about how Energy Systems Catapult can help you and your teams
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Want to know more?
Find out more about how Energy Systems Catapult can help you and your teams