Industry Interview By Seth Skydel
Moving Forward With Alternative Power
Bettering Society With Equipment That Builds, Powers and Feeds the World
Association of Equipment Manufacturers( AEM) member companies recognize the benefits of decarbonizing and reducing greenhouse gasses( GHG) for the betterment of society as they work to produce the equipment that builds, powers and feeds the world.
For decades, AEM members and their industry peers have invested heavily in powertrain improvements, new technologies and emissions reductions to enhance the environmental profile of their products,” said John Somers, AEM vice president of construction & utility sectors.“ Equipment manufacturers are committed to continually reducing our carbon footprint, but our industry needs policymakers to understand the cost, effort, in-field challenges and time involved in doing so.”
Somers’ comments, and that statement, sum up the impetus behind a recently released AEM position paper detailing recommendations and outlining solutions for policymakers focused on equipment manufacturers’ efforts to adopt alternative power technologies.
The paper, entitled Moving Forward with Alternative Power: Understanding the Opportunities and Risks for the Nonroad Equipment Industry, aims to educate key stakeholders on the challenges and opportunities facing equipment OEMs and component suppliers as they work to meet future market demands while taking steps toward decarbonizing the industry.
“ While the industry is dedicated to continuing its march toward reducing its carbon footprint, it is critical for policymakers to understand just how much is invested in terms of cost, time, and effort to decarbonize and reduce the impact of GHG emissions,” the paper’ s summary noted.
“ Decarbonizing the industry is poised to take years of technology advancements, research investments, customer acceptance, and infrastructure investments,” it added.“ Each requires committed resources from industry, friendly policy decisions from government, and growing customer demand.”
Among the recommendations from AEM and its members are the following:
• Consider a holistic approach to GHG reductions, rather than simply“ focusing on the tailpipe,” to ensure a flexible and robust decarbonization transition.
• Consider avoiding overly prescribed policy approaches that neglect to consider new processes and technologies that can contribute to GHG reductions, and which allow flexibility for OEMs as they develop these alternative power solutions.
• Consider broad-based incentive programs to accelerate future adoption of alternative powered equipment.
• Support flexible infrastructure planning when determining the role of alternative powered equipment in the construction, agriculture, forestry, utility and mining sectors.
• Appreciate the lead time necessary for industry to develop these technologies and allow for ample time for a robust market to develop.
• Promote worksite safety training programs for users of these new technologies.
• Consider the impact that other global regulatory actions may have on the transition to a decarbonized non-road sector.
The Future of Power
For AEM’ s member companies, powertrains are among the most crucial component systems in non-road equipment, impacting various aspects of the machine including performance, safety and cost. Manufacturers have long invested heavily in powertrain improvements, new technologies and emissions reductions. These investments have enhanced the environmental profile of their products, with each incremental improvement having been the result of both significant effort and ingenuity.
As the industry continues to invest its resources into new alternative power technologies, a variety of energy types may be deployed:
“ Equipment manufacturers are committed to continually reducing our carbon footprint, but our industry needs policymakers to understand the cost, effort, in-field challenges and time involved in doing so.”
34 CRANE HOT LINE ® June 2024 • www. cranehotline. com