ETI announces £40m HDV program
The Energy Technologies Institute (ETI) is calling on heavy duty vehicle (HDV) manufacturers, SMEs and academics to participate in what is to be one of Europe’s largest HDV efficiency programs. The ETI has issued three Requests for Proposals (RfPs) which form part of a new £40 million HDV efficiency programm which has been launched to look at increasing the efficiencies of shipping, heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), construction and agricultural equipment by almost a third (30%). Subsequent RfPs will be issued in due course. HDVs currently contribute 8% to the UK’s overall CO2 emissions. The low-carbon fuel options for replacing liquid fossil fuels as the energy source for HDV applications are currently limited. Fuel efficiency and low-carbon liquid fuels such as bio fuels are now seen as the keys to the future affordability, security and sustainability of HDV operations in the UK. The ETI is a public private partnership tasked with developing "mass scale" technologies that will help the UK meet its 2020 and 2050 energy targets. Dr David Clarke, CEO of the ETI, said: "Given the economic, security and climate change benefits of reducing fuel consumption, there is a significant opportunity for early benefits from the introduction of improved vehicles, especially as the focus of European legislation is likely to move from emissions to fuel efficiency over the period required to develop significant vehicle technology improvements." He added that the findings from a feasibility study commissioned by the ETI in 2009 highlighted that there are significant opportunities to accelerate vehicle technology development through investment in a range of platform technologies which will help enable and support vehicle and vessel system development. The ETI program will look at systems integration and technology development across the HDV sector, and will culminate in full-scale demonstrations of the integrated systems and developed technologies. Possible demonstrators include the manufacture of an improved HGV or ship powertrain. The expectation is that vehicles and vessels incorporating technologies from this project will be on sale by 2020. It is intended that these vehicles and vessels will be competitively superior and offer a better economic case to operators, driving significant market penetration by 2030. The deadline for the notification of intention to submit a proposal is April 21st, and all proposals must be received by May 13th. The UK-based Energy Technologies Institute comprises the UK government and six private sector members: BP, Caterpillar, EDF Energy, E.ON, Rolls-Royce and Shell. Quelle: eyefortransport Portal: www.logistik-express.com |