Coillte set to reduce fuel consumption by 5% in timber haulage trucks
21 December 2012Coillte is leading a collaborative project in the Irish forestry sector, partnering with timber haulage contractors and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), under the Government’s ‘Better Energy Programme’, to reduce the amount of fuel being used to move logs from forests to customers.
New GPS and fuel management technology is now installed in the first 80 trucks in the Irish timber haulage fleet, with 250 trucks expected to be fitted out by mid 2013.
This technology will provide timber hauliers with information on energy usage with the aim of reducing fuel consumption.
This is expected to realise minimum energy savings of 5% or the equivalent of 2GWh on an annual basis. This equates to a reduction of an estimated 189,000 litres of diesel fuel, with an expected cost saving of approximately €230,000.
The project is funded 45% by Coillte, 35% by SEAI and 20% by the hauliers themselves.
