From September 1, 2020, the Software as a Service (SaaS) solution BigMile will be commercially available to European users. BigMile makes it simple to perform standardized “carbon footprinting” calculations and analyzes in both simple and complex international logistics chains. Based on real shipments and measured fuel consumption, it is calculated how effectively each shipment was transported. The same can be done for modeled chains. With easy-to-use analyzes, it immediately becomes apparent where profit can be made. The results can be used directly to inform customers or to justify the CO2 emissions caused by logistics.
BigMile BV
The Connekt Foundation and Districon Solutions BV have entered into a partnership to deliver the BigMile SaaS solution as a commercial service from BigMile BV, starting in Europe. BigMile is one of the results of the development of carbon footprinting started by Lean & Green Europe, and with support from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate (EZK), the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (IenW) and the Top Sector Logistics, and has grown into a mature product with a right to exist and great potential in the market. Nico Anten (Connekt): “It is thanks to the participants of Lean & Green Netherlands, who wanted to push the boundaries, that this development started. Fortunately, the potential has been recognized by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Infrastructure and the Environment and the Logistics Top Sector, so that we now have a mature solution that has been developed together with the logistics industry. We are pleased with our partner Districon who understands what it takes to provide professional services. ”
Carbon footprinting
The idea behind carbon footprinting is that the basic data of transport and transhipment are the best source of data that can be found: what was transported and how much fuel was used? Everyone has that data, and it provides much better and reliable results than working with models. In the calculation, the fuel emissions are assigned to each shipment in a standardized and certified manner: this shows in detail how effective the logistics are. A wealth of information can be obtained from all these details about what really happens in practice. Tests with large and small carriers and shippers showed that this information is a great asset to them, despite the management information that already comes from the existing financial and logistics systems.
Making it practically applicable
In order to make carbon footprinting applicable for everyone - from transporter to multinational - many tests have been carried out in practice, and generally accessible guidelines and standards have been developed. Cloud-based software has been developed for the calculations. After all, an affordable and reliable automation solution is a precondition for the widespread introduction of carbon footprinting, which is certainly not limited to the Netherlands.
Jack Pool (Districon): “As Districon, we have seen the demand from our customers for good and reliable emission calculations grow rapidly, in order to contribute to more sustainable logistics. It becomes an important factor in investment decisions. BigMile is unique as a chain accounting platform and offers a solid basis for analyzes and simulations, not to mention accountability ”.
The SaaS solution BigMile has therefore been spun off into a company that focuses entirely on providing a reliable service to all parties large and small who want to use it. BigMile BV will be responsible for the further development of the service. Various customers are already using BigMile.
