Sustainable fuel shift hindered by high costs and weak infrastructure: Survey

A recent survey by global law firm Reed Smith reveals that the high cost of sustainable energy and inadequate supply chain infrastructure are seen as the primary obstacles to transitioning to sustainable fuel sources.

Insights were gathered from over 50 respondents across various sectors, including aviation, shipping, logistics, manufacturing, utilities, and environmental services.

The study found that almost half of the respondents believe it will take over 15 years for the transportation sector to be fully powered by sustainable fuel sources.

It also found nearly half of the participants expect dual fuel and LNG to be the most commonly used transitional fuels in the next 3-5 years, and cost and regulatory restrictions are the most significant factors hindering sustainable fuel adoption.

Over a third of respondents indicated that both the high cost of sustainable energy and inadequate supply chain infrastructure will be significant barriers in the next 5-10 years, says the study.

One-third of the participants cited uncertainty in interpreting and complying with new or complex regulations as a major concern, and nearly half of the respondents consider biofuel and green hydrogen the most promising sustainable fuel sources for widespread application in the transportation sector.