An important environmental shift is underway. Consumers around the globe are demanding greener practices, technologies and businesses are stepping up. They are prioritizing sustainability.
As global organizations are charting their path to net-zero emission, many are exploring the next frontier in emissions reduction—Scope 3 emissions. The operations of companies don’t directly produce these emissions. They are embedded in their supply chain. That includes logistics activities as well.
Logistics contribute to at least 7% of greenhouse gas emissions globally. Not surprisingly, the demand for green logistics is growing. And the good news is that technology is making it easier than ever to go green without compromising efficiency or customer satisfaction.
Want to make your deliveries more sustainable? Dive in to learn the technologies that can help you make your deliveries greener.
#1 Route Optimization Software
Every extra mile your delivery truck travels unnecessarily adds to fuel consumption and emissions. Optimizing routes can help cut down both.
Route optimization software is helping businesses plan out delivery routes. It uses algorithms to plan the most efficient routes for deliveries by analyzing factors like traffic, distance, and delivery priorities. This minimizes travel time and maximizes efficiency.
According to Forbes, route optimization can help businesses operate sustainably as well as avoid penalties for breaching these regulations. It’s no wonder that the route optimization software market is experiencing remarkable growth. Global Market Insights predicts that the market will reach $15.8 billion by 2032. It’s expected to grow at a CAGR of 11.5%.
Many software leverages AI to enhance efficiency further. AI-powered route optimization software can adapt to real-time conditions like weather changes, traffic jams, or last-minute delivery requests. This makes sure that delivery schedules remain on track while reducing unnecessary fuel consumption and emissions.
#2 Hydrogen Fuel Cell Trucks
To achieve carbon neutrality, decarbonizing the transportation sector is important.
Adopting hydrogen fuel cell trucks is one step that can help eliminate carbon dioxide emissions from the transportation sector.
Hydrogen fuel cell trucks use hydrogen gas to generate electricity, powering the vehicle with zero emissions—just water vapor as a byproduct.
The advantage? These trucks can travel longer distances without needing a lengthy recharge. They can be refueled quickly at hydrogen stations, similar to how a traditional diesel truck is refueled. That means the downtime is minimal. This is making hydrogen trucks a viable choice for commercial transportation.
However, MarketsandMarkets informs that challenges around hydrogen storage are a restraint to the growth of the hydrogen truck market.
Fortunately, technology based on reticular materials such as metal-organic frameworks, or MOFs, is addressing the issue. Among solid-state hydrogen storage materials, ScienceDirect notes that they are promising materials.
These porous solids resemble molecular Tinkertoys, with metal ions or clusters acting as central hubs connected by organic ligands. This creates a cage-like structure with channels and voids that can capture hydrogen when injected at low pressures, and release it when required.
The surface area of reticular materials is vast. H2MOF states that small volumes of reticular materials can adsorb large amounts of hydrogen. This breakthrough in hydrogen storage technology enhances the feasibility of hydrogen fuel cell trucks, paving the way for a greener, more efficient transportation industry.
#3 E-Cargo Bikes
Cargo bikes are not new; they have been around since the 19th century, primarily used for delivering goods in urban areas.
Today, their modern counterpart—the e-cargo bike—is gaining popularity as a sustainable solution for last-mile deliveries.
These bikes come equipped with an electric motor to assist with pedaling. That makes it easier to transport goods over short distances without breaking a sweat.
What makes them so great? E-cargo bikes can easily zip through traffic, avoid parking issues, and reduce your carbon footprint. On top of that, they are compact, so they take up less space on the road and can access places that larger delivery vehicles can’t reach.
A recent feature of Supply Chain Digital reveals that e-cargo is designed to serve deliveries of non-food items such as office supplies. It also states that the bike can carry up to 550 lbs.
Fin, a London-based sustainable logistics and last-mile delivery provider is a case in point. It operates over 100 e-cargo bikes alongside electric vans and delivers nearly 14,000 parcels throughout the city daily. The delivery provider now plans to enter the NYC market.
As technology continues to advance, the possibilities for greener logistics are only going to grow.
Whether it’s hydrogen fuel cell trucks or e-cargo bikes, there is a wealth of tools at businesses’ disposal to create more sustainable delivery systems. But it’s up to each company to embrace these innovations and take the first step toward reducing their carbon footprint.
So, if you haven’t already, now’s the perfect time to embrace these green technologies. They can help your business move toward more sustainable logistics. The best part? Many of these technologies do more than just cut emissions—they save money, improve efficiency, and boost customer satisfaction.
