Grants to beat emissions
The latest schemes to receive co-funding through the Low Emission Transport Fund (LETF) are showing what’s possible when it comes to greener off-road vehicles and water-borne vessels.
Megan Woods, Minister of Energy and Resources, has confirmed funding for 19 transport projects, including the country’s first electric 90-tonne dump truck, a road-construction crew using zero-emissions equipment and an electric hydrofoil ferry.
“While electric cars are taking off, a significant amount of fossil fuels are used in marine and off-road settings,” she says. “They are seen as areas that are harder to decarbonise. These projects will prove the potential of electrification and low-emissions technology.”
A total of $6.4 million in government funding will leverage $18.2m in applicant investment from two rounds of the LETF.
“Each year, the maritime and off-road sectors use an estimated 1.6 billion litres of petrol and diesel accounting for around 13 per cent of our total energy-related greenhouse gas emissions,” says Woods.
“Reducing emissions in these areas is vital not just to meet our emissions targets and tackle climate change, but we will also reap significant co-benefits especially in the marine sector. Our oceans, lakes and rivers are taonga, so everything we do to reduce pollution on the water will let us continue to enjoy it with minimal harm.”
Some of the winners
TDX Ltd has secured $498,625 from the LEFT. It will demonstrate three electric wheel loaders, including one pre-production Volvo 20-tonne electric wheel loader.
Fletcher Concrete and Infrastructure Ltd has been awarded $499,500. The grant means Winstone Aggregates will be the first quarry in New Zealand to pilot a 90-tonne electric dump truck in Belmont Quarry.
This project will pilot the application of the largest available class of heavy electric vehicles (EVs) in New Zealand’s extractive industries. Other projects to get funding include:
• ChargeNet NZ: $500,000. This company, Openloop and Z are working on a proof of concept for roaming capability between their public EV charging networks. This is a trial enabling EV owners to use different charging networks from one account.
• Red Phase Technologies: $500,000. It will trial a grid integrated and supporting battery electric storage system (BESS) integrated with four ultra-fast chargers. The project plans to prove the potential of BESS to enable fast deployment of the charging stations by minimising grid upgrades.
• Outback New Zealand, trading as Nomad Safaris, Info & Track and Info & Snow: $217,125. Info & Track/Snow will replace one of its diesel 25-seat coaches with an electric 25-seater to transport visitors to the Routeburn Trailhead in the summer, and Coronet Peak and The Remarkables ski-fields in the winter.
• Seachange NZ: $500,000. Seachange and Fullers 360 will demonstrate a next-generation, zero-emissions electric hydrofoiling passenger vessel to transport passengers across the Hauraki Gulf.
EV Maritime Ltd: $200,508. The company will build an intelligence platform to harness insights from data onboard its vessels. It’s designed to increase operational efficiency and resilience in electric ferries.
About the fund
The LETF, which is administered by the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority, supports the demonstration and adoption of low-emissions transport technology, innovation and infrastructure to accelerate the decarbonisation of our transport sector.
The fund focuses on activities in the sector that move people and or goods on roads, off-road, and in the marine and aviation sectors. Projects need to:
• Demonstrate innovative solutions that will enable future adoption and deployment.
• Reduce energy-related emissions in the transport sector.
• Address market and organisational barriers through co-investment and diffusion of new knowledge and lessons.
• Share knowledge and lessons to stimulate wider replication of successful projects and solutions in the transport sector.
Wider transport systems and activities, such as building roads, urban design and mode-shift policy are excluded.
Each round of the LETF provides co-funding to a particular area of interest. An announcement is made in advance of each funding round advising what areas of interest will be included.
