Driving collaboration and decarbonisation in transport and energy

Collaboration took centre stage at the recent Transport and Energy (TE) Forum event, which brought together industry leaders both in the public and private sectors to explore the crucial need for increased cooperation across the landscape.

The forum, marked by the tagline 'Further & Faster,' acknowledged the strides the UK has made in achieving new charge point milestones but underscored the imperative for continued progress.

Here are some of my key takeaways, that shed light on the challenges and opportunities the industry is faced with:

Fostering Collaboration

Throughout the day, speakers spoke of the vital role collaboration plays in advancing the goals of the sector. From Chief Executive Officers to local authorities and the supply chain, there was a collective call for increased collaboration. A noteworthy initiative at the Forum were the 40 fully funded places for local authorities to facilitate their attendance the Forum, providing a promising start for meaningful engagement and partnership.

Further & Faster

While celebrating the UK's recent accomplishment of surpassing 50,000 public charge points, participants identified that more action is needed. Common challenges, such as grid connection and planning, were highlighted. The Forum expressed optimism regarding Ofgem’s new policy on queue management aimed at addressing ‘zombie projects’ in the grid connection queue, anticipating a tangible impact in overcoming some of these obstacles.

Full Lifecycle

Stakeholders are now adopting a holistic approach, considering the full lifecycle of projects from a decarbonisation perspective. National Highways showcased a test project in Hartlepool related to resurfacing, achieving an impressive 84% reduction in carbon for the entire project. This shift toward comprehensive sustainability considerations marks a significant evolution in project planning and execution.

The Human Impact

The event also had a poignant touch with the Ella Roberta Foundation as the charity partner. Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, CBE, set an emotional tone for the day. Ella (her daughter) was the first person in the world to have air pollution listed as a cause of death on her certificate, lived on the South Circular in London. Her story serves as a powerful reminder of the human impact of pollution and the driving force behind many individuals' involvement in the industry's efforts to decarbonise transport and energy.

The TE Forum event provided a platform for industry leaders, government agencies, and stakeholders to converge and discuss the pressing issues and opportunities in the ever-growing realm of transport and energy. As collaboration takes root and decarbonisation efforts intensify, the sector is poised to overcome challenges and drive innovation, moving further and faster towards a sustainable and cleaner future.