In the protracted struggle to improve ‘green’ credentials over the choice of forklift motive power, new developments could shift the balance back to internal combustion engines, but not fuelled by diesel, now increasingly shunned over health and hygiene concerns. The case for and against the triumvirate of fuel sources: diesel, LPG and electric, are well known and often governed by the application but other fuel sources will make their impact over the next 20 years and the governing factors will be environmental and cost-effectiveness.

chazHybrid trucks have been touted as a way to go but they have made little impact so far and it’s not hard to see why. Real hybrid trucks use at least two motor systems, which means doubled costs and maintenance and service, and more  stringent safety needs. It’s true that they significantly lower CO2 emissions and fuel consumption but other solutions seem to show the way to go.

Doubt has also been expressed over hydrogen fuel cells owing to high operational costs and environmental protection parameters, but the latter need not be an issue if the hydrogen power is produced by solar panels. As an alternative to lead-acid batteries for electric trucks, Lithium-ion has its attractions but for design reasons, among others, is confined to small, powered pallet trucks which do not need a heavy counterweight that large, lead-acid batteries provide.

Jungheinrich believes that internal combustion engine trucks will still be the truck of choice in certain applications for many years to come and tellingly it views methanol as one of the better options for fuelling IC trucks, but the methanol does not need to be processed from natural gas, though it could be mixed with LNG. This is just what Gasrec are doing with their bio gas-LNG, aimed at the heavy goods vehicle market.

Gasrec produces its fuel by blending the liquefied bio-methane it derives from landfill waste with liquefied natural gas. This will offer a security of supply with fixed certainty over contracted prices not possible with petroleum, where political concerns could see huge supply price hikes. The benefits are impressive. Compared with diesel it offers a 25% cash saving in cheaper fuel, up to 70% cut in CO2 and at least a 35% cut in Nox. The reduction in particulate matter emissions is 90%. The ease of use is the same as for diesel. It passes all the criteria in the Renewable Energy directive. Extensively tested by blue chips like Tesco, Sainsbury, Coca-Cola and UPS, the business case for adoption seems unassailable. Tesco, for example, reported a payback period of just over two years when compared with diesel costs.

The main barriers to wide uptake of this fuel have been the availability of vehicles and fuel. This will start to come down this year as the main truck producers like Volvo and Mercedes gear up output, along with Hardstaff who provide an engine conversion service. This year will also see Gasrec building a nationwide network of fuel locations and there is also the option for vehicles to run on diesel where the bio-gas is unavailable.

Such a development has profound implications for the logistics market. According to the Department of Transport, a 2010 survey found that logistics companies operated on margins of only 1-3%, and fuel accounts for one third of all costs. Although not currently planning to extend their bio fuel to the forklift market, Gasrec’s experience clearly shows Jungheinrich seems to be on the right track for IC engines to be powered by methanol.

Meanwhile, in the fight to contain costs from battery-powered forklifts there are still practices to improve operating cost that are largely ignored. These include more sensible maintenance and control procedures. Far too many sites, for example, don’t have a maintenance regime in place, says Hoppecke Industrial Batteries. Proper maintenance would ensure the batteries last five years or more rather than the all-too-common two or three years. But it is also important to remember that most warehouses have unique needs so that means developing a bespoke approach to energy management.

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