The grants, which were awarded by the UK Government, will see two projects assess how emerging technologies can tackle carbon emissions.

The first project, titled ‘Integrated Energy Systems for Commercial Vehicles’, will explore some of the key technical challenges in vehicle-to-grid technology (V2G) and its adoption by vehicle operators.

The second project, ‘Up-Featured Trailers for Future Logistics’ will assess the future needs of operators by developing ways in which they can operate effectively in town centres and adhere to emissions constraints.

The projects are part of a £30 million UK-wide package of competition funding, aimed at helping develop the technology and business case for V2G charging. Funding is being provided by the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) and the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).

Revolutionising Freight

A number of V2G projects have already been launched, with a strong focus on passenger vehicles. However, there has been a distinct lack of research into the application of V2G in the commercial sector. Although HGV’s, light vans, buses and coaches account for less than 13% of vehicles on Britain’s roads, they contribute more than 34% of the UK’s total transport CO2 emissions.

Worldwide, HGV’s contribute 7% of emissions and have a significant impact on air quality – accounting for 39% of NOx emissions.

Ensuring the reduction of emissions while in transit is a key focus of the projects. However, with electric vehicles, there is huge potential to return stored battery power back into the grid when stationary. This, researchers believe, could be of great importance to commercial vehicles and companies.

Predictable operating patterns mean that vehicles parked could provide large quantities of power.

Heriot-Watt’s Professor Phil Green is the deputy director of the Centre for Sustainable Road Freight – a joint-initiative with Cambridge University, which is also involved in the research.

Professor Greening believes that, while future strategies for low-emission haulage are still being discussed, there are key challenges that must be addressed to ensure emissions are reduced.

“The future strategy for low-emission freight is still being developed,” he explained. “Decarbonisation, air quality and changes in energy and communications technologies are all impacting the sector.”

He added: “Commercial vehicles represent a unique challenge for options like electrification because of their need to carry payloads across demanding duty cycles for a very cost sensitive customer base.”

Assessing Future Needs

The second project by Heriot-Watt researchers will assess the feasibility of an ‘advanced trailer design’ that will utilise an “optimum mixture of energy storage, light-weighting and connectivity technologies”. Through this, researchers hope to address key challenges for commercial freight operators; particularly their navigation of evolving city landscapes and ever-stronger emissions legislation.

Professor Greening said that the research teams want to better understand how the “backbone” of the industry – specifically articulated trailers – will need to evolve in a changing world. The designs that are being developed could benefit from testing in a virtual environment, he said, so as to mimic real-world operations.

Heriot-Watt University and FPS will collaborate with industry representatives from the Freight Transport Association, Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders and Energy Managers Association as part of the project. This collaborative effort aims to ensure that all research has “real-world application and relevance.” Additionally, policy issues are being assessed alongside Transport Scotland.

Michael Ayres from FPS said that this research could be crucial to ensure that operators adapt to the changing needs of customers and keep pace with technological change.

“We need to join the dots on vehicle and charger technology, electricity generation and network demand as well as the evolving requirements of the customer base,” he said.

“Flexible Power Systems’ business is all about unpicking complexity for our customers and translating it into actionable insights and we are looking forward to combining this with Heriot-Watt University’s deep knowledge of the commercial vehicle and freight sectors.”