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CAPITAL EQUIPMENT NEWS
JUNE 2015
2
G
reen Grass of Home was a popular
hit tune for many years but today the
significance of green should more
aptly be, green is where the home is. Better
described as eco-friendly, the new buzz-word
covers a multitude of disciplines that affect
our daily lives and unless we each start con-
tributing to the concept in any way we can,
there is a strong possibility that our offspring
may not have a planet in which to survive.
Being a magazine dedicated to equipment
and trucks, it is appropriate that I devote
something to the discipline that covers the
trucking industry showing some of the steps
which the industry has taken to lead us into
those greener pastures we dream about.
Many of the developed countries of the world
are concerned about the safety and environ-
mental impact of trucks and buses, according
to surveys conducted by concerned institu-
tions. The surveys identified that although
most people realise that new trucks and buses
are increasingly safer and more environmen-
tally friendly, few are familiar with the safety
and environmental technologies that feature
in the latest generation of these vehicles. In
analysing the results of these various sur-
veys it was clear that the majority agreed that
trucks and buses played an important role in
the economy whilst only a small minority dis-
agreed that trucks are the most efficient form
of transport option for goods.
There were some concerns regarding the
safety of trucks and buses and their environ-
mental impact, particularly in built-up areas
because they are seen as being essential to
our standard of living. This is why there is
unilateral support for the implementation of
stricter measures regarding vehicles in the
urban environment. There was a small mi-
nority however who even believed that trucks
should be banned completely from our cities.
Impossible to implement so make sure that
every truck used in built up areas conforms
and provide each one with certification, recog-
nisable by a special number plate or such like.
Biofuels is the new buzz-word and South Afri-
ca has already made some meaningful contri-
butions towards the development of biodiesel
technologies. In December 2007, the Depart-
ment of Minerals and Energy announced the
5-year Industrial Biofuels strategy which was
aimed at stimulating not only job creation but
also development in rural areas of the country
where crop management had been neglected.
The objective was for a 2% penetration level
of biofuels in the national liquid fuel supply
which equates to 400 million litres per annum.
To date, investments in biofuels in South Africa
have been very modest to say the least when
one considers that South Africa has much
more to offer with its capacity to grow total
plant biomass as well as producing sugarcane
or sugarbeet streams for ethanol or sunflower,
canola and soya oil for biodiesel production.
It’s interesting to see how some manufactur-
ers have already been pro-active in that area
to stimulate the use of biofuels. Scania has
embarked on a programme of offering sus-
tainable solutions to the transport industry
whereby they combine the sales of their vehi-
cles with arranging a biofuel supplier contract
as part of the deal.
South Africa has currently more than 200
small entrepreneurs that produce biodiesel
on a small scale, mostly from waste vegetable
oils. Major concerns for these entrepreneurs
at the moment, is feedstock uptake and meet-
ing specification required by the petrochemi-
cal industries.
South Africa has the potential as a technology
provider andnow is the time is to re-visit the
current lack of development in the biofuels
arena and capitalise on our resources and ex-
pertise to move forward into the next century.
Many manufacturers have produced vehicles
to meet these challenges, all ready to meet
the demands of the eco structure. All it now
takes is for the man-in-the-street to come for-
ward, be counted and do his bit.
Pierre Sanson
THE COLOUR
of green
COMMENT