Key measures for CO2 reduction in logistics

The EU aims to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030, compared to levels in 1990. For many companies, this feels like a big challenge in the distant future. Yet there are more than enough CO2 reduction measures that are low cost and low effort but impactful on CO2 saving. Since 2008, Lean & Green has guided hundreds of companies in measuring and reducing their CO2 emissions. We have listed the most popular measures for you by theme. 

 

  1. Cargo measures

The first CO2 reduction measures concern cargo, also known as transport volume. This can be optimised in several ways. You can look at improving the load factor and/or adjusting the frequency. Furthermore, you could use a network of carriers. This way, you can arrange the distribution of landings more efficiently, drive more optimally and schedule return loads to avoid empty runs. We also see that many companies start talking to their customers and suppliers as soon as the CO2 emissions per customer are clear (in the Lean & Green dashboard). This provides a clear starting point for agreements on efficient and sustainable transport. Working together pays off! 

  

| The higher the load factor, the better the business and CO2 result

  

  1. Measures around origin and destination

There are also plenty of interesting measures for reducing CO2 emissions at origin and destination. With new planning systems, you optimise trips. This can also be done by examining the working area: how many distribution centres are on the routes and with whom do you work? With more distribution centres, approach routes are shortened and by becoming part of a network, approach routes can be shortened. So here too, working together ensures optimisation which leads to CO2 reduction. In all companies, we see that working more efficiently goes hand in hand with sustainability. 

 

| More efficient working goes hand in hand with sustainability

 

 

  1. Measures to save fuel 

This will be music to your ears, because saving fuel saves money as well as CO2. There are both large and small measures to take in this area. What almost every participant in Lean & Green does and what everyone can start doing today: (1) regular checks of tyre pressure, (2) training drivers in minimal braking and accelerating and (3) installing a speed limiter. Together, these measures have quite an impact on CO2 emissions. Aligning the trailer or reducing trips/km per load also make a serious change in CO2 emissions. You can also start replacing diesel with the biofuel HVO today, HVO can be used in a diesel truck but is slightly more expensive per litre price. A bigger investment are hydrogen and/or electric trucks.   

 

| Fuel savings can be started today

 

  1. Measures to save energy

As a company, you can also save a lot of CO2 on energy. When buying gas and electricity, for example, you can also make the location and/or warehouse more sustainable. This involves: how is the warehouse insulated, how do we deal with energy consumption and are there points where we can improve? For instance, by installing solar panels on all roofs. Or even purchasing a wind turbine on our own premises to generate green energy. If you want to go a step further, you can even store your own green energy in a mega battery these days. 

 

| Even locations can help reduce CO2 

  

The first step towards sustainability: start measuring  

  • In our free online webinar, we will tell you all about measuring and reducing CO2 and how the Lean & Green tools can help.