Abstract Manager

GHD, in partnership with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), is addressing the urgent need to decarbonize Canada’s industrial transportation equipment. Off-road vehicles, including forklifts, mobile cranes, terminal tractors, sweepers, material handling equipment, and hydraulic power units, are essential to industrial operations in sectors such as seaports, airports, railports, construction, chemical plants, agriculture, oil and gas, and mining. These vehicles significantly contribute to Canada’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, yet their transition to zero- or low-emission technologies presents complex challenges due to their varied operational demands.

This project leverages GHD’s ZEVO™ tool to curate detailed, data-driven pathways for transitioning these vehicles to cleaner alternatives. Choosing the right solution is not straightforward, as multiple pathways exist, each tailored to specific equipment types. Interim solutions, such as biodiesel and renewable diesel, provide near-term emission reductions, while medium-term fuels like compressed natural gas (CNG) and renewable natural gas (RNG) offer a bridge to long-term alternatives, such as electricity and hydrogen. ZEVO integrates operational data, duty cycles, and economic factors to evaluate these options and develop a preliminary business case for each pathway.

Our approach goes beyond technology selection, focusing on system-wide impacts, including infrastructure requirements such as charging stations, renewable energy integration, and refueling facilities. Each scenario is modeled to optimize lifecycle costs, emissions reductions, and feasibility, providing industrial operators with actionable strategies to adopt zero-emission technologies confidently.

Attendees will gain insight into how tailored decarbonization plans can address the unique challenges of off-road industrial fleets. The session will highlight how GHD’s systematic approach and ZEVO’s capabilities ensure that each recommendation is grounded in operational realities, market dynamics, and Canada’s 2030 emission reduction targets.

This session is essential for stakeholders in fleet management, policy-making, and industrial operations seeking practical, scalable solutions to advance zero-emission technologies. Participants will learn how evidence-based strategies can support cleaner, more efficient, and economically viable fleet transitions. These strategies are designed to be implementable in real-world industrial settings, paving the way for sustainable industrial practices in Canada’s most emissions-intensive sectors.