News

With HVO, Germany could achieve its CO2 targets, because the alternative fuel is processed by many modern trucks without complaint. In conventional diesel engines, it can be used pure or blended with conventional diesel fuel. Due to the ethanol content, however, minor modifications to the fuel systems may be necessary.

Manufacturers give approvals

Some major manufacturers, such as Scania and Volvo Trucks, have already approved all truck models for HVO. The same applies to Iveco S-Way and X-Way with Cursor 11 and Cursor 13 engines as well as to the Iveco T-Way with C13 engine. No technical conversions or special adaptations are required for these models.

The biofuel is also suitable for various forklift trucks. Linde has approved HVO for both the current and most predecessor series in the payload range from 1.4 to 18 tonnes. Hyster provides a retrofit kit for HVO use in its large and empty container stackers as well as reach stackers.

In addition, the eco-fuel is already being produced industrially - for example by Neste in Finland or Eni in Italy. Nevertheless, the supposed climate saver is not allowed to be sold at petrol stations in Germany because it has not yet been approved. So far, HVO may only be added to conventional diesel at a maximum of 26 percent.

Still much debate

HVO is a paraffinic fuel that must meet the requirements of DIN EN 15940. This standard would first have to be included in the Federal Immission Control Ordinance so that the fuels grouped under it could be sold at every public petrol pump. Until that happens, there will be many discussions in Berlin, because HVO also has its downsides.

Environmental associations, for example, voice criticism that palm oil is also processed into HVO, which not least promotes deforestation of the rainforest. However, the EU has long since reacted to this argument: HVO based on palm oil may neither be produced nor imported in Europe. It is possible, however, that the increased use of vegetable oils and slaughterhouse waste for HVO production will lead to supply bottlenecks at other points in the economic cycle. One example of this is power plants, which often burn residues from animal processing. If these become scarce, they have to be replaced by other products, which may then have a fossil origin.

Difference to biodiesel

In addition to slaughterhouse waste, HVO can be obtained from algae or old kitchen fats. This is why HVO is sometimes confused with biodiesel. Both fuels are based on organic or renewable biomass. The difference lies in the chemical composition and production. While biodiesel is produced by esterification, HVO is produced by hydrogenating fats and oils into hydrocarbons through a catalytic reaction with hydrogen, which places lower demands on the origin and quality of the feedstock. These, in turn, ultimately determine the price of HVO, which currently rarely reaches the level of fossil diesel and is usually higher.

Against this background, many fleet operators will probably be able to get over the fact that it will take some time before HVO is generally approved for use at public filling stations. On the other hand, owners of company filling stations can react immediately and flexibly by filling not only their trucks but also their forklift trucks. The company's carbon footprint benefits immediately.

HVO exhibitors as guests at NUFAM

HVO is also an important topic at NUFAM 2023. Exhibitors such as Wirtz Energie + Mineralöl GmbH or Iveco Süd-West Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH will be available for in-depth discussions. Click HERE for the complete list of exhibitors.

The dilemma: the number of handling terminals needed for this can hardly be increased within the next few years. It follows that the existing capacities must be used much more efficiently. In addition to the large seaports, transhipment facilities in the hinterland are therefore also working on time window booking systems.

Digitalisation can make a major contribution to saving our planet. This is the conclusion of the study "Climate Effects of Digitalisation" published by the Bitkom association. The targeted and accelerated use of digital solutions alone could reduce CO2 emissions by around 50 percent (120 megatonnes) within the next ten years. This value is close to the climate target defined by the German government in 2019: according to this, CO2 emissions are to be reduced by 55 percent by 2030.

High load fluctuations

The modal shift from road to rail and water is an important building block here. The transhipment of goods between rail, (inland) waterways and HGVs takes place at ports and CT terminals distributed throughout Germany and Europe. Currently, high load fluctuations can be observed there. This is due, among other things, to peaks in truck arrivals or delays in train and ship arrivals. As a result, there are longer waiting times for trucks in and in front of the terminals when truck arrivals and high utilisation rates for rail and shipping transshipments overlap.

In order to improve the flow design, more and more terminals are introducing time slot booking systems (ZFBS) to smooth peak loads. The Port of Hamburg already made a start here in 2017. The terminal operators define time windows in which haulage companies can deliver and collect loading units. However, the first effect of the ZFBS is to smooth out the load from the terminal's point of view. For the haulage companies, they lead to an increase in the complexity of transport planning and thus to the shifting of inefficiencies between the actors.

Flexible and collaborative

A consortium led by TriCon Container-Terminal Nürnberg GmbH is therefore developing a flexible and collaborative time slot booking system for efficient cargo handling in CT terminals in the hinterland as part of a research project called "Flexiking". The aim of Flexiking is to develop a flexible and collaborative ZFBS. This concept is flexible in that it continuously takes into account the respective framework conditions when providing handling windows at the transshipment point per period. On this basis, more or fewer time slots are released, unbooked time slots are removed from the system or the length of the time slot is adjusted.

More flexibility

The concept is collaborative in that it provides a mechanism for both parties to renegotiate previously allocated time slots. The collaborative system is intended to incorporate the interests and degrees of freedom of the terminal as well as those of the haulage companies. In the event of changes in the general conditions, a dynamic adjustment of the time slot booking is possible by mutually agreeing to reschedule time slots.

Projects like Flexiking make it clear to what extent modern IT solutions can help reduce CO2 emissions. A study conducted by Accenture on behalf of the digital association Bitkom has already shown how great the influence of digitalisation actually is. According to this study, technology can contribute almost half of Germany's ability to meet its climate targets by 2030.

With modern telematics solutions, drivers and vehicles become an integrated part of the digital supply chain. Every change in position and consignment status is transmitted in real time to the transport management or ERP system. Deviations from the plan are displayed immediately and give sufficient time to react. Invoices can be generated and sent electronically immediately after delivery. Pick-up orders and return freight are specifically transmitted to the most suitable truck that is nearby with sufficient loading space reserves. Instead of time-consuming phone calls, the driver receives clearly understandable messages on his mobile device, which are automatically translated into his native language if necessary.

Modern solutions for maximum transparency

But telematics can do much more: not only drivers and dispatchers are networked with each other, but also customers and recipients. With geofencing, automatic e-mails or other message formats are generated that provide early information about arrival times. In any case, modern solutions ensure maximum transparency about the delivery process, so that customer enquiries can be answered quickly and without having to ask the driver.

However, telematics is not only the basic technology for modern, mobile order management. Another essential aspect of telematics is the evaluation and optimisation of driving style. The transmission of engine speeds and braking behaviour provides information for targeted follow-up training, which can reduce diesel consumption and minimise wear and tear. No less important is the monitoring of driving and rest times. The legal obligation to read out the digital tachograph is turned into a valuable source of information by telematics, which makes the scheduling and management of large fleets much easier. Thus, the technology not only supports dispatching, but also fleet management.

Telematics Forum as part of NUFAM

No wonder that telematics is a fixed and growing exhibition area of commercial vehicle trade fairs. This can also be observed during the NUFAM in Karlsruhe, which is organising the Telematics Forum for the third time on the first two days of the trade fair on 21 and 22 September.

Telematics: A term and its history

• 45 years: This is the age of the term "telematics", which was coined in 1978 by Simon Nora and Alain Minc as part of a study on the computerisation of society. It is an artificial word made up of the terms telecommunication and informatics.
• In the transport industry, it took more than 20 years before the first hauliers, transporters and logistics service providers sensed the potential of telematics to improve their own processes. Around the turn of the millennium, there were the first simple telematics solutions with which the current vehicle positions could be determined and information sent in SMS format.
• The benefits were limited and the costs high. Mobile phone charges were billed per short message and the required hardware for the cab cost mid four-digit amounts. The Benefon is legendary as one of the first mobile phones with an integrated GPS function - presented at CeBIT 2001, which was the largest trade fair in the world at the time with over 8,100 exhibitors from 62 countries and around 800,000 visitors.