eFuels in Non-Road Mobile Machinery
Non-Road Mobile Machinery (NRMM), such as tractors, excavators, cranes, and chainsaws, plays a critical role in sectors like construction, agriculture, logistics, and defence. It also plays a key role in building the renewable energy infrastructure required to achieve future climate goals. Machinery such as diggers, excavators, cranes, and wheel loaders are indispensable for constructing solar farms, wind turbines, and other clean energy projects.
Decarbonising Non-Road Mobile Machinery with eFuels
A joint study with Porsche Consulting assessed the feasibility of different powertrain technologies for NRMM. These machines are often used in remote locations or must operate reliable in areas with extreme weather conditions. Thus, internal combustion engines remain the only viable option for many applications, especially for high-powered equipment (e.g., tractors over 148 kW). Due to the complex operational demands, battery-electric drives are not always a suitable replacement. The study shows that even by 2050, only around 40% of the global NRMM fleet can be electrified.
At the same time, NRMM accounts for over 2% of global CO₂ emissions. Machines typically remain in use for 20 years or more, meaning that the existing fleet will continue to produce emissions well into the future. The significant global stock, the global CO₂ emissions in conjunction with the substantial energy consumption over the long lifespans of NRMM underline the need to address CO₂ emission reductions in the existing fleet.
Multi Technology Path Needed for NRMM
A study by Frontier Economics examined the lifecycle emissions of various propulsion technologies used in NRMM. It found that for electrified NRMM, the production of batteries remains a significant source of emissions. For example, even battery-electric mobile cranes operating entirely on renewable electricity emit more emissions over their lifetime than a crane powered by RFNBOs or a hybrid crane using green hydrogen. Similar findings were reported for wheel loaders. A wheel loader powered by an internal combustion engine running on renewable fuels can achieve similar environmental benefits to an electric wheel loader operating on green electricity. That is why we need a technology path that focuses on eFuels alongside electrification.
Even with higher efficiency standards, the NRMM sector will still have an energy requirement of around seven billion liters of fuel per year in 2050, according to Porsche Consulting. In use cases where battery electric solutions reach their limits, eFuels are a climate-neutral alternative.
Our Recommendations
- Deploy ambitious supply quotas for renewable fuels: Establish supply quotas for re-newable fuels such as advanced biofuels and renewable fuels of non-biological origin (RFNBOs) in the Renewable Energy Directive (Directive (EU) 2023/2413) and national transposition, encompassing NRMM among other sectors to create a strong demand signal and incentivize investment in these sustainable fuel sources.
- Supply-Side Support through Funding and Energy Taxation: Provide financial support through programs like the EU Hydrogen Bank and Innovation Fund and revise European Energy Taxation (Directive 2003/96/EC) to favour renewable fuels over fossil fuels, ac-celerating their market competitiveness.
- Leverage Public Procurement to Promote Renewable Fuels: Include NRMM propelled by renewable fuels in public procurement policies, similar to the Clean Vehicle Directive (Directive (EU) 2019/1161), to lead by example and stimulate broader market demand for low-emission NRMM solutions.
Position papers and joint statements
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