Prelims: General issues on Environment| Sustainable Development | Current events of national and international importance.
Why in News?
Recently, Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India released a report on India’s Priority Corridors for Zero-Emission Trucking.
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Zero-Emission Trucking (ZET)
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- Need – Nearly 40% of fuel consumption and transport emissions in India originate from long-distance trucks.
- It is crucial for decarbonising the logistics sector, reducing air pollution, and strengthening India’s energy security.
- Zero-Emission Trucks (ZETs) – Thay are vehicles powered by clean energy sources like electricity or hydrogen, producing no tailpipe emissions.
- They can lower carbon emissions by 44% to 79% compared to diesel trucks and are more sustainable transport mode.
- It can help India improve logistics efficiency, lower costs, improve air quality, and reduce environmental impact.
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- Report – It is the result of a rigorous, data-driven assessment designed to support India's vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat and economic goals.
- Developed with the support of - Centre of Excellence for Zero Emission Trucking (CoEZET) - IIT Madras, Rocky Mountain Institute, and pManifold as knowledge partners.
- Objectives – To guide future investments in charging infrastructure, public-private partnerships, and regulatory support mechanisms.
- Selection of ZETs corridors – The report identifies the top 10 high-impact corridors most suited for early ZET deployment, laying the groundwork for a dedicated national ZET infrastructure network.
- They were identified through a 3-phase process by a quantitative and qualitative assessment using parameters such as
- Toll traffic data and mapping of supply/demand centres
- Stakeholder consultations
- Detailed field research
- It also considered factors such as high freight traffic, industrial activity, availability of ancillary services, grid infrastructure readiness, corridor length relative to battery range, and strategic stakeholder inputs.
- Significance – It will serve as a strategic guide for policymakers and industry actors with comprehensive insight into the three-part corridor identification process.
- By strategically targeting these corridors, India can accelerate its transition to a zero-emission freight sector while boosting competitiveness and resilience.
- It can also serve as a reference for the PM E-DRIVE scheme.
PM E-DRIVE scheme was launched in 2024 by the Ministry of Heavy Industries to promote the adoption of zero-emission transport (ZET) solutions.
Reference
PIB| Release of Report on India’s Priority Corridors for ZETs
Related News – PM E-DRIVE Scheme
