What do music and transport have in common? More than you may think…
The way we consume music has changed. From LPs to cassettes, CDs and now digital streaming, this has been an evolution played out over decades. Is the same happening with transport?
What do transport and music have in common?
Both can take you on journeys to different times and places. Both can connect people. And both, as far as I am concerned, are essential for humans.
Yet, the way we consume music has changed. From listening to LPs, cassettes, CDs and now digital streaming, this has been an evolution in progress. We are also now seeing fragmentation, with people opting for one streaming service over another – or even using multiple players for different music.
Something similar is happening in transport. But transport is evolving in a direction that I hope will answer one of the biggest questions of our age: how does the world provide more energy, while reducing carbon (CO2) emissions?
No single answer
To come up with cleaner solutions to the way we travel and move goods and services, we need the courage and vision to think differently. And, like music, there is no longer just one single answer.
Transport today accounts for nearly 30% of the world’s energy use and around a quarter of global energy-related CO2 emissions. Whilst greenhouse gases are emitted by all sectors, it is noticeable that emissions from transport are barely declining.
In some countries, such as the UK, transport is the highest single emitter.
Together in electric dreams
Shell has set out one scenario, called Sky, that shows a challenging, but technically possible route that the world could follow to meet the aims of the Paris Agreement.
A key part of this scenario involves a big uptake of electric cars. For my part, I am a huge fan of my Volkswagen e-Golf. Not least, because it is a fantastic driving experience.
Norway leads the world in terms of the proportion of electric car sales, followed by Iceland and Sweden. And China is a country where I myself saw many different solutions taking shape. China now accounts for about half of global production and has the most electric vehicles on the road.
Shell is determined to help in that reality. We are already rolling out rapid charging sites in the UK, Netherlands and China. And recently we announced our acquisition of Greenlots to help the EV charging needs of US motorists.
We have also signed a deal to provide 500 charging points across 10 European countries in the next two years. These points could take only 10 minutes to charge cars.
Shell is simultaneously aiming to make electric vehicles more efficient and increase how far they can travel by producing new transmission fluids, process oils, coolants and greases. I call this Shell e-fluids. This will help to reduce their emissions and extend their lifespans.
Heavy traffic
However even though electric cars, vans and light trucks, will have a significant part to play in reducing emissions, we also need alternatives for heavy freight, shipping and for aviation. It is in these sectors the battery electric technology has not yet been fully developed.
Shell is also investing in liquefied natural gas as a fuel, hydrogen and biofuels – because the possible solutions are many. The big question is: which one will win out?
Towards the future
Like the future of music, we still don’t know. Which forms of mobility will go the way of cassettes, or become the next digital download or even, like vinyl, make a comeback? It’s still unclear.
What is clear is that there is not one solution for the future of transport, but many. And we must keep exploring and developing them all.
We change how we consume things in generational ways. Trying to explain the tapes I loved in my teen years to my children who only know digital music reinforces that for me. Tbut I think they are more open to change than we are!
Good story. Not necessarily the best system will survive the market. History has shown us several examples. One I remember well is the fight for the video cassette standard between VHS, Betamax and Video 2000... VHS was by far not the best, but under influence of the market, the consumers first choice. I guess similar selection will take place in transportation. Curious what time will bring!
Geospatial Consultant, Subsurface Data Analyst
5yReally no need for most of us to have our own car. Most urban use is only occasional. We need to rid ourselves of the idea of a car as conferring status, also. Here's a potential solution, then - we adopt a common ownership model and pool one car per, say, 10 households. That should provide enough capacity for real demand. If cars are self-driving perhaps we just order one on our phone and it delivers itself when needed - we do the driving and it only self-drives when empty to avoid some of the legal and ethical issues of self-driving cars. I'm sure the car manufacturers will lobby hard to resist such a plan and I wouldn't be surprised if Shell lobbied with them. I'm prepared to be convinced otherwise, however. Go on Shell, show us your green credentials. Support such a plan.