¶ TREE Project: Transition to Efficient Electrified forestry transport
Recommended Technology
Description: The TRansition to Efficient, Electrified forestry transport (TREE) project is positioned as a central pillar of the broader green transition, with the vision of delivering a forestry freight system that is efficient, reliable, and fully compatible with decarbonised energy systems. The core aim of this transition is not simply to introduce electric vehicles, but to accelerate the adoption of electrified heavy forestry transport by removing system‑level barriers. These barriers extend beyond vehicle technology to include logistics planning, charging infrastructure, grid access, business models, and enabling policy settings.
The headline ambition is bold: to achieve 50% electrification of new forestry trucks by 2030, a shift that would deliver material emissions reductions - equivalent to approximately 260,000 tonnes of CO₂ savings per year in Sweden alone. This target reflects both climate imperatives and the growing commercial viability of electric heavy transport when integrated effectively into forestry logistics chains.
Evidence emerging from the TREE initiative demonstrates that many previously assumed technical constraints are no longer the limiting factor. Battery‑electric forestry trucks have proven capable of operating year‑round, including in cold northern climates, with reliability comparable to conventional diesel fleets. On typical forestry routes, regenerative braking on long downhill forest‑to‑port or forest‑to‑mill corridors materially improves energy efficiency, further strengthening the operational case for electrification.
Crucially, TREE’s findings show that the dominant barriers are systemic rather than technological. Access to suitable charging infrastructure, coordinated transport and charging planning, and viable commercial and ownership models consistently outweigh vehicle performance as the key constraints. Addressing these system‑level issues - rather than waiting for further vehicle innovation - will be decisive in unlocking large‑scale electrified forestry transport.
Snapshot: 0
Category: Power & Electrification
FWPA RD&E: 4.3
¶ Details
| Company | Country | Type | Website | Available in Australia? | Year | Status | Remarks | TRL | Employees | Colour | Inventors | Patent Model. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pernestål | Skogforsk (Projects) | Paper | Link | n.d. | 0.0 | Green |