Major transporter 7R Logistics/Blu Logistics signs on for emission free fleet

The ASX-listed ReNu Energy subsidiary Countrywide announced its joint co-operation agreement with 7R Logistics/Blu Logistics - a milk, water and other bulk food grade liquids transporter - on Monday at the site of Countrywide's proposed homegrown green hydrogen solar farm at Launceston Airport.

7R is the first transport operator in the state to sign on to offer a zero-emissions option to customers.

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Managing Director of 7R Logistics Tim Jensen said the business was pleased to partner with Countrywide to reduce its emissions footprint and that of its customers.

"Our trucks, on average, produce about 250 tonnes of carbon emissions per annum," Mr Jensen said.

"There is a real opportunity here to diminish our environmental footprint and to help our end customers reduce their carbon footprint as well."

7R operates 12 heavy vehicles powered by diesel in Tasmania, on average operating over 200,000 km a year - meaning a possible reduction of 3,000 tonnes annually once the fleet converts to zero-emission fuel cell vehicles.

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Road transport accounts for at least 20 per cent of Tasmania's emissions.

Managing Director of Countrywide Geoffrey Drucker said the partnership would help to promote the benefits of and fast-track the development of green hydrogen projects in Tasmania.

"We welcome this as a demonstration of how someone like the movers of milk in the agriculture industry can start the decarbonise their operations," Mr Drucker said.

"To help achieve this, we are calling for support from the state government to help enable the transition to zero-emissions road transport.

"With government support, together we can promote the commitment to zero-emissions road transport while actively encouraging and supporting others in the industry to transition to zero emissions."

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Countrywide is working toward operating three Tasmanian hydrogen refuelling sites strategically located near Hobart, Burnie, and Launceston Airport, allowing the state's major transport routes to be covered by a network of renewable stations.

The company plans to produce 10MW of green hydrogen at Bell Bay, north of Launceston.

Countrywide signed a memorandum of understanding with Launceston Airport in November last year to produce five megawatts through a process called electrolysis at the site, producing 2.25 tonnes of hydrogen a day through a solar farm.

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The 7R Logistics fleet will be converted to hydrogen once the trucks become available in Australia - an event which will coincide with Countrywide's first hydrogen production in Tasmania, which Mr Drucker said will occur at the end of 2024 or early 2025 "depending on the date that our electrolysers arrive in the country."

But there's one other missing piece of the puzzle: the state government's power purchase agreement, a commitment Mr Drucker said they were expecting "really shortly, even within the next couple of weeks."

"The Premier knows we need them to support us, and they're aware of our needs," he said.

"We need to be able to be sure we can get a hold of green power from the state at a price that makes diesel work; we're not asking for an unreasonable amount of money.

"They know that this is how hydrogen will decarbonise our nation."

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