- The Queensland Government has released its Zero Emission Vehicle Strategy 2022-2032 which outlines the decarbonisation of Queensland’s transport sector and supports the Government’s 50% renewable energy target by 2030. The Queensland Government is also committed to a 30% emissions reduction below 2005 levels by 2030 and zero net emissions by 2050.
- The Victorian Government has pledged for all new public transport buses to be zero emissions from 2025 and made a $20 million investment to a Zero Emission Public Transport Bus Trial.
- The New South Wales Government plans to convert its entire bus fleet to electric by 2030.*
As Australia turns its attention toward renewable energy and the cost of increasing fuel prices, we start to see both communities and enterprise take an interest in smart transport, which can reduce both emissions and operating costs.
With the uptake of large-size electric vehicles, such as trucks and buses, this reimagining of an electric future brings a suite of new smart transport opportunities and challenges in the technology space.
A snapshot across the country sees various States leading change, signalling that now is the time to discuss what your own electrification journey and transition will look like over the next few years.
Tip #1
Engage with a smart transport partner
Seek out and engage a smart transport partner early in your renewables journey. They can help guide the planning and design phase of your site/s to ensure a safe, reliable and optimal energy solution is considered.
A smart transport partner that offers an end-to-end, tailored approach significantly increases the successful delivery of an efficient fleet.
Tip #2
Investment vs return
As part of the planning phase, your partner should provide an assessment and advise for electricity capacity and suitability at each proposed site. This may include a hybrid solution, a transitional staged approach, or potential revenue opportunities by leveraging your storage energy with peak network demand.
With value-adds such as metering and analytics, you’ll gain insights into usage and identify areas for optimisation to influence your tariff(s) and boost potential savings.
Tip #3
Load flexibility and efficient energy generation
Each site assessment will have variables to consider, such as peak capacity and load balancing of the network. These could impact your tariff(s) and should be discussed with your delivery partner.
For example, installing a solar PV system large enough to meaningfully offset your fleet charging requires a minimum of six hours of sunshine. EVs are more effective on flat and gentle topography. If these are not feasible for your site/s, a battery energy storage system or hydrogen power could form part of your electrical energy ecosystem. Understanding the complexity of these scenarios and constraints of each option will ensure a fit-for-purpose offering, tailored to your needs.
Tip #4
Prepare for expansion
With a comprehensive fleet design, you’ll be covered for future expansion of your network. Having the correct infrastructure and connectivity in place and ready for utilisation will avoid upgrade costs in the future, while optimising your tariff costs in the present.
Getting your fleet energised
Yurika has a range of smart transport options available with experience across many projects. This supports better risk management allowing you to seize the future that smart transport brings. For more advice, contact our experts to discuss your own smart transport journey.