Rhine-Alpine News

11.04.2023

PIONEERS project of Port of Antwerp-Bruges featured in the OCEAN documentary by Euronews

Image: pioneers-ports.eu

Image: pioneers-ports.eu

EGTC member Port of Antwerp-Bruges coordinates the PIONEERS project, funded by the EU in teh Horizon 2020 programme. In PIONEERS, 19 demonstrations will be implemented, providing concrete solutions at a local level, in the 4 pillars of the project: clean energy production, storage and supply, modal shift and flows optimisation, sustainable port design, and digital transformation. By the end of the project, the ambition is to deliver a Green Port Master Plan that can be used for ports across Europe and beyond. Therefore, PIONEERS plays an important role in decreasing the environmental impact of ports while staying competitive.

The Euronews’ OCEAN documentary came as a perfect opportunity to feature some of the 19 demonstrations in the PIONEERS project. The second episode of Euronews‘ OCEAN documentary explains the commitment of the Port of Antwerp-Bruges to scale up the current state-of-the-art and the path towards fulfilling the goals of a sustainable port. Ports are the heart of our global trade, connecting the world and fuelling economic growth. But with this comes a problem – a massive carbon footprint. The second episode of the OCEAN series portrays how Ports can act as drivers of the energy transition, decarbonisation and environmental sustainability and the role of the PIONEERS project with its 19 demonstrators.

Watch the series here or on Euronew’s youtube channel.

60 freight trains on the left bank of the Rhine possible: decision should be made in autumn

Image: Duisburger Hafen ©duisport_Hans Blossey

Image: Duisburger Hafen ©duisport_Hans Blossey

Around 60 freight trains could also run between Ludwigshafen/Mannheim and Wörth, as the Die Rheinpfalz writes. Switzerland wants to use this capacity to create a continuous route on the left bank of the Rhine to Strasbourg via Lauterbourg. The decision on this should be made in France by September/October. Die Rheinpfalz concludes this from contributions to the “3. Transport Conference on the Upper Rhine” in Kandel.

Whether up to 60 freight trains will be running through the Germersheim district every day in around 10 years – that will be decided in France. The vast majority of the route runs there, which would have to be expanded according to the Swiss plans. Since the Swiss are willing to assume part of the costs, the key question is how much they are willing to pay. If Switzerland and France come to an agreement, the German side can hardly afford to torpedo the project. On the one hand, Germany is decades behind schedule when it comes to expanding the Rhine Valley route. And in France it is not forgotten that the continuation of the motorway on the left bank of the Rhine through the Bienwald failed. In addition: While there were and still are many factual reasons against the so-called “Bienwald Autobahn”, there is hardly any plausible explanation given to the neighbors for not shifting goods to rail. Incidentally, this also applies in Baden, where the waves are rising, because according to the plans of the railway, the Palatinate should be spared during the expansion of the Rotterdam/Genoa.

Source: https://www.rheinpfalz.de/lokal/pfalz-ticker_artikel,-60-g%C3%BCterz%C3%BCge-m%C3%B6glich-entscheidung-d%C3%BCrfte-im-herbst-fallen-_arid,5489205.html and https://www.rheinpfalz.de/lokal/kreis-germersheim_artikel,-entscheidung-%C3%BCber-g%C3%BCterverkehr-f%C3%A4llt-in-frankreich-_arid,5478563.html

Environmental challenges through the life cycle of battery electric vehicles

Source: Image by Gerd Altmann on Pixabay

Source: Image by Gerd Altmann on Pixabay

The Research4 Committees – Research for AGRI, CULT, PECH, REGI & TRAN Committees of the European Parliament – has issued a publication on environmental challenges through the life cycle of battery electric vehicles. Some of the key findings are:

  • An extensive literature review and harmonisation effort indicates broad agreement that battery electric vehicles (BEVs) tend to exhibit significantly lower life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) impacts than internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs), despite their initially higher emissions during manufacturing.
  • The life cycle assessment (LCA) modelling used for this study indicates that a typical battery electric car in the current situation already saves over ~60% kgCO2eq compared to an equivalent conventional gasoline car in average EU conditions. Significant life cycle GHG emissions reductions were also found across different situations and countries.
  • Analysis of the future outlook shows that the GHG benefits of BEVs are expected to further increase. By 2030, average BEV GHG impacts in the EU27 could be 78% lower than those of an equivalent conventional gasoline car. By 2050, these savings could increase to 86%.
  • Decisive policy action on some specific issues will be needed to maximise the benefits of BEVs and mitigate existing risks, including an ambitious policy agenda around circular economy approaches for vehicle components at EU level, particularly for EV batteries.
  • A wider set of policies, including policies to promote a modal shift towards sustainable travel modes and the adoption of mobility-as-a-service, is needed to further reduce emissions on a passenger-km basis.

Source: https://bit.ly/3ZbZCQG

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