Clean Fuel News

Traditional fuels and the bridge to zero-emission trucks

Originally posted by Cristina Commendatore | September 7, 2021 | FleetOwner | Original Article

Shell’s 80-ft. long Starship 2.0 truck, designed to glide down the road like a fish through water, was near impossible to miss in a sea of battery-electric, hydrogen fuel cell, and alternative “clean” energy projects on display at the 2021 ACT Expo. The tractor-trailer stands out not only because of its sleek look and size, but it demonstrates what is possible leveraging efficiency technologies and energy sources that are available today.

As the commercial vehicle industry readies itself for a scalable zero-emission transformation, even Shell, which has been exclusively focused on diesel, is looking at hydrogen, renewable natural gas, and biodiesel to meet the organization’s global commitment to be net-zero by 2050. In the meantime, however, the company realizes how important it is to continue to rely on traditional fuels and technologies.

“We have 10 years max to build a business, in my view, that is sustainable for the future and moves us away from the traditional products and gives us the opportunity to build more into the alternative energy space,” Patrick Carré, VP of Shell’s Commercial Road Transport Sector, pointed out during an ACT Expo Fireside Chat with Erik Neandross, Gladstein, Neandross & Associates CEO.

“For commercial road transport, I say 10 years because the technologies that we see—and I will single out both battery-electric and hydrogen on the truck side—are clearly two technologies I can see being ready and commercially available at scale in the second half of the 20s,” Carré added.

However, betting only on these two technologies alone isn't going to do the trick. Carré emphasized the importance of leveraging biofuels, renewable diesel, renewable natural gas, and technologies to begin reducing tailpipe emissions.

“I think there is an opportunity to really build that bridge over the next three to five years—maybe longer—until the true net-zero technologies hydrogen and battery-electric will be available at scale,” he said. “That is something we really have to do if we are serious about accelerating that journey. We should not limit ourselves to just one or two technologies, we should work the entire bandwidth.”

Included in its corporate portfolio, Shell’s Greenlots is focused on researching and developing an electric vehicle infrastructure ecosystem; Shell Hydrogen is working to build the infrastructure needed for hydrogen to grow as a transport fuel; and Shell RNG focuses on producing and supplying low-carbon fuels, such as biodiesel, bioethanol, and renewable natural gas.

When it comes to letting the market pick the sustainable technology winners moving forward, Carré said he is a big believer in the market playing a fundamental role in the space. But he urged the industry not to be naïve.

“There are a few things from a regulatory point of view and framework that need to happen to accelerate,” he explained. “What I mean by that is if negative CO2 emissions aren’t factored into the pricing, technology change is not going to happen. If you think about the situation today, there are many advantages that diesel technology brings. If the CO2 effect of diesel consumption doesn’t get factored into the price, it will be very difficult for other technologies to emerge. That is a role the regulators should play.”

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