NRI is strongly committed to exploring ways to lessen industrial impacts on the environment. Carbon neutrality is among NRI’s highest-priority research projects. The institute believes that digital tech can expedite net-zero targets and is actively looking for development opportunities that can help companies decarbonise their operations. NRI approached ELEKS to conduct a research and opportunity study into achieving carbon neutrality in the transport and logistics sector.
ELEKS provided NRI with a detailed report on areas of opportunity for achieving carbon neutrality using digital technology. Consultancy consisted of four phases:
- Research – The ELEKS team studied current and projected regulations for achieving carbon neutrality and assessed their impact on businesses in the short and long term. We explored existing gas emissions accounting and reporting frameworks and studied the transport and logistics sector’s contribution to greenhouse emissions. We also identified the major problems the transport and logistics sector faces in reaching carbon neutrality. ELEKS’ experts reinforced their study with primary (interviews and surveys of scientists and industry representatives) and secondary (scientific papers, reports and agreements) research.
- Ideation – The team analysed existing net-zero solutions and researched trends and promising market niches. Based on the findings, they brainstormed automation ideas and developed seven opportunity areas with substantial customer desirability, high technical feasibility and financial viability.
- Delivery – NRI chose three of these opportunities and asked ELEKS to develop high-level use cases for each. The various opportunities touched on areas such as order consolidation, environmentally friendly delivery options and carbon removal solutions. Our experts carried out deep-dive research in these areas, creating a business model canvas for each opportunity and presenting the deliverables to the client.
- Follow-up – ELEKS provided NRI with a vision for implementing the three use cases, including the estimated project duration and cost. As a next step, we proposed that NRI conduct a product design discovery project and comprehensive competitor analysis for the use cases with consecutive PoC and product development phase.
ELEKS experts developed high-level use cases for the most feasible opportunity areas, including:
An order consolidation and space management platform
A marketplace for companies and individuals to place, receive and manage transportation requests. The platform requires in-built route optimisation, vehicle capacity management and agreements and insurance tools run by Smart Contracts.
CO2-responsible delivery for customers
A software plugin integrated with commercial websites and mobile applications that would calculate and present customers with estimated CO2 emissions for a variety of delivery options.
A carbon removal matching tool
An application that calculates the monetary equivalent of personal carbon footprints and automatically redeems the negative GHG balance by donating the respective amount to a carbon removal organisation – or an organisation with a carbon neutrality agenda in T&L.
With the findings from our report, NRI has the fundamental basis for prioritising future digital development. The report presents a holistic view of carbon-neutral opportunities for logistics, supplemented by budgets and adoption timelines, meaning that development can be seamlessly initiated when the time comes.
