IM Efficiency Joins the Zero Emission Corridor project

The transition to zero-emission freight transport is one of the most important challenges facing the logistics sector today. As transport fleets electrify, the industry is finding innovative ways to manage growing energy demands without placing additional strain on the grid. The Zero Emission Corridor (ZEC) project was built to address exactly this and IM Efficiency is proud to be part of it.

About the project

IM Efficiency is a partner in the Zero Emission Corridor project. The project brings together 16 partners: companies, knowledge institutions and public organisations, working together to make zero-emission freight transport a practical reality. It is deployed across two of the Netherlands' most important logistics hubs: Schiphol Airport and Royal FloraHolland, and developed in partnership with Amsterdam Logistics. Everything will be tested in live and real-world conditions, not in a lab.

At the heart of the project is an integrated Energy Management System (EMS) that coordinates energy flows across the entire ecosystem. By connecting distributed solar generation, battery storage, smart charging infrastructure, buildings and transport planning, the EMS actively balances supply and demand in real time.

IM Efficiency’s role

IM Efficiency contributes a critical building block to this system: energy generation on the trailer itself.

We install our onboard solar technology SolarOnTop on trailer rooftops. While the truck is on the road, the panels generate clean energy that extends the vehicle's range and reduces how much it needs to draw from the grid when charging. Within the ZEC energy network, this energy does not just power the truck, it feeds back into a shared DC system, enabling Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) and Vehicle-to-X (V2X) functionality.

This shifts the role of freight equipment fundamentally: from passive energy consumers to active participants in the energy system.

The pilot

A dedicated pilot will be running in the Schiphol and Nieuw-Vennep Zuid logistics corridor, in collaboration with transport partners DJ Middelkoop and R. Nagel and van der Slot Transport . Two electric trailers and one diesel trailer will be equipped with SolarOnTop technology, generating energy during transport operations and feeding surplus energy back into the local energy system.

Looking ahead

For IM Efficiency, ZEC is more than a pilot environment, it is a concrete step toward a logistics sector where freight transport is not only electrified, but fully integrated into the energy system itself. The technologies and knowledge developed here will help make zero-emission logistics more practical, affordable and scalable across the Netherlands and beyond.

The Zero Emission Corridor project is co-funded by the Kansen voor West programme and the European Union. This support enables project partners to develop, demonstrate and scale innovative solutions for zero-emission logistics in real operational settings.