Project launch

Decarbonization of the vehicle fleet and depot – with a focus on charging infrastructure, the grid, and storage

Press release /

Logistics companies are currently facing growing pressure to transform: Energy-intensive road freight transport is associated with high fossil fuel consumption and thus fuel costs that are currently difficult to predict. At the same time, regulatory and customer requirements for sustainable supply chains in logistics are increasing. The Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology UMSICHT and Joachim Schultz GmbH (JSG) are jointly investigating how a low-greenhouse-gas energy and mobility strategy can be developed under these conditions in a funded project.

Transformationsplan für klimaneutrale Logistikstandorte
© Fraunhofer UMSICHT
Dr.-Ing. Jochen Nühlen (Fraunhofer UMSICHT), Annika Teske and Joachim Schultz (both of Joachim Schultz GmbH), Lennart Schürmann and Dr.-Ing. Matthias Lehmkühler (both of Fraunhofer UMSICHT), Martin Hinzmann (OWT Oberhausener Wirtschafts- und Tourismusförderung GmbH).

The goal of the collaboration is to create a transformation plan as part of the federal funding program for energy and resource efficiency in the economy. The two company sites in Oberhausen and Duisburg are to be restructured so that they can be operated in a climate-neutral manner by 2045 at the latest –without jeopardizing economic stability and competitiveness. An interim goal is to reduce direct and indirect emissions by at least 40 percent over the next ten years compared to the reference year 2025.

The starting point is a comprehensive assessment: Energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions are systematically recorded and analyzed. Based on this, Fraunhofer UMSICHT is developing an integrated package of measures that combines efficiency improvements, increased use of renewable energy, and options for electrification and the use of storage and flexibility solutions. A central focus is on the further development of operational mobility. This includes, among other things:

  • expansion and needs-based optimization of the charging infrastructure on the company premises
  • analysis of the grid connection situation and opportunities for load shifting
  • use of battery storage systems to reduce peak loads and improve the utilization of on-site generated electricity
  • development of a phased transition plan for the vehicle fleet, for example with battery-electric and/or alternative drive technologies, tailored to the actual usage profiles of the JSG

In addition to technical aspects, economic assessments are also incorporated into the planning. Various scenarios enable investment decisions to be prepared transparently and measures to be implemented in sensible phases. The results are consolidated into a coherent transformation plan, which serves as a strategic basis for decision-making and is firmly anchored in practice through the involvement of relevant stakeholders within the company.

In addition, the extent to which approaches for a cross-site energy supply can be developed for the Oberhausen location in the Lipperfeld industrial park is being examined. A potential neighborhood solution, from which several companies could benefit, is initially being considered from a conceptual perspective. As part of the transformation plan, the fundamental prerequisites and potential for this are being analyzed, without concrete implementation being part of the current project.

Funding and Classification
The development of transformation plans is supported by the German Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control (BAFA) as part of the federal funding program for energy and resource efficiency in the economy (EEW, Module 5). The transformation plan for JSG is based on these guidelines and creates a robust foundation for implementing the energy transition in a logistics company in a structured, economically viable, and long-term manner. The results of the project are transferable to other logistics locations

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