Launched in October 2020, our Net Zero Project is aimed at bringing our industry together; to define what we mean by a net zero cold chain; and to work together to identify, plan and transition to a more efficient and lower emission cold chain of the future. As part of the Project, we aim to release five documents, alongside special events and briefings to demonstrate how we can work together with Government and other stakeholders to contribute to the UK’s decarbonisation goals:
- Part One: Shaping the Cold Chain of the Future: The Road to Net Zero (download below).
- Part Two: Defining a Net Zero Cold Chain (download below).
- Part Three: The Journey Towards Emission Free Temperature-controlled Distribution on Road Vehicles (download below).
- Part Four: The Cold Store of the Future (download below).
- Part Five: The Future Cold Chain Ecosystem (coming soon).
SHAPING THE COLD CHAIN OF THE FUTURE: THE ROAD TO NET ZERO (PART ONE - SETTING THE SCENE)
This document is the basis for the Cold Chain Federation's engagement within and outside our industry; to define what we mean by a net zero cold chain and to ask ourselves where the gaps are in our knowledge and where the potential is for collaboration.
SHAPING THE COLD CHAIN OF THE FUTURE: THE ROAD TO NET ZERO (PART TWO - DEFINING A NET ZERO COLD CHAIN)
Although businesses operating the cold chain are committed to reducing their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and other pollutants in line with UK Government targets, we are not as yet in a position to estimate the extent to which we can reach net zero by 2050 and to set our own firm targets. The guide sets out why it is imperative to determine the carbon footprint of the cold chain, and also the Cold Chain Federation’s commitment to not only support members to assess their own emissions, but to also support recently announced academic studies to assess the total emissions from the UK cold chain.
SHAPING THE COLD CHAIN OF THE FUTURE: THE ROAD TO NET ZERO (PART THREE - THE JOURNEY TO EMISSION FREE TEMPERATURE-CONTROLLED REFRIGERATION ON ROAD VEHICLES)
The Journey Towards Emission Free Temperature-controlled Distribution on Road Vehicles is our vision for how transport refrigeration units (TRUs) can transition away from diesel, to emission free alternatives in line with the UK’s decarbonisation and air quality targets. It sets out our view on the technological outlook for TRUs, how operators and manufacturers will adapt to drive down emissions and finally the financial, infrastructural and regulatory support which will be required to enable us to meet our ambitious targets.
Road to Net Zero Part 4 - Cold Store of 2050
The Cold Store of 2050 is our vision for how temperature-controlled warehouses could evolve to achieve a step change in energy efficiency whilst driving energy transformation in the UK as part of the transition towards a net zero economy by 2050. The report details the technologies which could become more widespread, the barriers to their adoption and how businesses, government and those responsible for the UK energy network will need to collaborate to ensure the opportunities and benefits detailed in this report are achieved.
What you can expect from our Net Zero Project
We want all our members to be part of our Net Zero Project. Throughout 2021 and beyond there will be opportunities to get involved and help shape the future of your cold chain. The project aims to give our members the information they need to make an informed choice on how to adapt to the challenge of decarbonising their business. In 2021, you can expect the project to develop in four principal areas:
CCF Publications
2021 will see us build on the issues raised in Part One: Setting the Scene, with additional reports focussing on roadmaps for what temperature-controlled storage and distribution will look like in 2050. This document will be released in two parts, the first, The Road to Net Zero Cold Storage released in spring 2021 and the second The Road to Net Zero Temperature-Controlled Distribution following in autumn.
Cold Chain Conversations
Launched in 2021, Cold Chain Conversation is a series of debates with eminent cold chain experts discussing the big issues facing the industry in a Question Time style format. Members will be able to listen to the debate live and ask their questions to the panel. On February 10th kicked off the series with a debate on Defining Net Zero – tackling the big questions on what a net zero cold chain might look like and what the key challenges and mandatory obligations might be for individual businesses in the cold chain. Cold Chain Conversations can be found here.
Insight
With the UK focussing on a ‘green recovery’ from the Covid-19 pandemic as well as hosting the COP26 climate change conference in November 2021, we can expect a raft of new pledges and climate change policy to be announced in 2022. The Cold Chain Federation will be on hand to help our members understand what these policies mean and how they might impact cold chain operations and the transition to net zero.
Events
Through our industry leading events programme, we will be on hand throughout 2021 to update you on the latest information from our Net Zero Project. Cold Chain Connect will provide you with regular briefings on the latest policy announcements and key innovations for energy management and carbon reduction. Our events schedule can be found here.
INSIGHT PAPERS
Towards a Net Zero Cold Chain – Setting the Scene – Shane Brennan, Chief Executive, Cold Chain Federation
Shaping the Future of the Cold Chain: The Road to Net Zero – Tom Southall, Policy Director, Cold Chain Federation
Adapting to Change: The Uncertainties Facing the UK Cold Chain – Tom Southall, Policy Director, Cold Chain Federation
Decarbonising and reducing carbon emissions from temperature-controlled distribution – Tom Southall, Policy Director, Cold Chain Federation
Net Zero Cold Chain – Prof Alan McKinnon, Keuhne Logistics University, Hamburg
The Engineering Pathway to Net Zero Cold Chain – Dr Rob Lamb, Sales & Marketing Director, Star Refrigeration
The Changing Face of Food Retailing – Prof Jonathan Reynolds, Academic Director, Oxford Institute of Retail Management
Strategic Transport Planning – Kirsten Tisdale, Principal, Aricia Logistics Consulting
Meeting Sustainability Goals – Gavin Parnell, Director, The Supply Chain Consulting Group
Scope for optimism in times of change – Justin Laney, General Manager Fleet, John Lewis Partnership
The big picture of vehicle decarbonisation – Brian Robinson, Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership
Creating a robust blueprint for sustainable and cost-effective food logistics – Prof Toby Peters, Professor in Cold Economy, University of Birmingham
Zero net carbon – food cold chain challenges – a research perspective – Professor Judith Evans, London South Bank University and Refrigeration Developments and Testing Ltd
Does “what gets measured” really “get managed”? – John Clark, Director, Star Data Analytics
Quantifying the Cold Chain – Kevin Mofid, Head of Logistics & Industrial Research, Savills
PRESENTATIONS
TRANSITIONING TO THE NET ZERO SUPPLY CHAIN
THE ENGINEERING ROAD TO NET ZERO
COLD CHAIN NET ZERO PROJECT
ADAPTING TO CHANGE IN FOOD RETAILING
DESIGNING LOGISTICS FOR NET ZERO
ADAPTING TO CHANGE: THE LOGISTICS CHALLENGE
THE BIG PICTURE OF VEHICLE DECARBONISATION
TOWARDS ZERO EMISSION TEMPERATURE CONTROL
THE FUTURE OF TRAILER TECHNOLOGY
THE COLD CHAIN ECOSYSTEM
MARKET SIZING THE UK COLD CHAIN
ETHOS
CREATING A ROBUST BLUEPRINT FOR SUSTAINABLE AND COST-EFFECTIVE FOOD LOGISTICS
COLD CHAIN LIVE WEEK ONE – ALL PRESENTATIONS
COLD CHAIN LIVE WEEK TWO – ALL PRESENTATIONS
COLD CHAIN LIVE WEEK THREE – ALL PRESENTATIONS
COLD CHAIN LIVE WEEK FOUR – ALL PRESENTATIONS
FURTHER READING
Net Zero: The UK’s contribution to stopping global warming (CCC, 2019)
Reducing UK emissions: 2020 Progress Report to Parliament (CCC, 2020)
Doing Cold Smarter (University of Birmingham, 2015)
Climate Change Agreements scheme extension and reforms for any future scheme (BEIS, 2020)
Rewiring Britain for a net zero future: (Ofgem, 2020)
Energy Efficiency in Cold Stores: a practical guide (Cold Chain Federation, 2020)
Decarbonising Transport: Setting the Scene (Department for Transport, 2020)
Decarbonising road freight (Centre for Sustainable Road Freight, 2019)
The Future of UK supply chains in a disrupted world: Brexit and Covid-19 (LSE Blog, 2020)
UK Cold Storage Sector (Cold Chain Federation, 2020)
For more information about the Cold Chain Net Zero Project contact tom@coldchainfed.org.uk