Mr. Paul Jackman:

What has been touched on is spot-on. The low-hanging fruit, as Mr. McPartlan referenced, is the back-to-base trucks. A component of that is not only the nature of the work. The fact of going back to base is direct support for the hauliers who have that vehicle type. It is taking pressure off the grid because we will be waiting a long time for the grid to come up. If you analyse the diesel and convert it to electricity, factoring in the additional efficiency, 22% of our current grid capacity has to be used to do the trucks. The back-to-base trucks, coupled with a battery pack and renewable structure at the premises, are low-hanging fruit with the longer truck.

HVO has been referenced several times. That is the only potential solution for decarbonising larger vehicles. There are six taxes on diesel and the only one that is missing for HVO is carbon tax. Any user of carbon tax forgoes the diesel rebate scheme. The Government benefits to the tune of 26.8 cent per every litre of HVO that is used to displace diesel because impending fines are being reduced. The haulier is paying up to €250,000 or €300,000 extra to consume 1 million litres of HVO over diesel when it is factored in. The benefit to the State amounts to a similar figure. It is totally out of kilter and counterintuitive.