Japanese Ministry of the Environment has initiated a subsidy program to encourage the on-site application of electric equipment certified by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism as “GX (green transformation) Construction Machinery.” Under this program, when private enterprises or organizations purchase certified construction machinery, two-thirds of the price difference between the standard fuel efficiency level and the same type of construction machinery will be subsidized. Charging facilities are also eligible for subsidies, covering half of the main unit price. The aim is to form model cases of construction work that contribute to the expansion of electric construction machinery toward achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.
The "GX Construction Machinery" certification system targeting electric construction machinery was established in the fiscal year 2023. Applications have been accepted continuously for three types of machinery: hydraulic excavators and wheel loaders, which were initially targeted, and wheel cranes, added in March. As the inaugural move, in December 2023, four companies and fifteen models of hydraulic excavators were certified. This month, Tadano applied for certification of the "eGR-250N-1" as the first certified model of wheel crane.
The subsidy program is part of the Ministry of the Environment's "Promotion Project for Decarbonization of Industrial Vehicles." As a one-year project for fiscal year 2024, it aims to accelerate the electrification of construction machinery. Construction machinery accounts for approximately 0.5% of domestic carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, and the emission reduction effect through electrification is significant.
Through introduction subsidies, various examples using electric construction machinery will be created on various sites. Feedback will be collected from users of GX construction machinery and others, gathering insights for the expansion of adoption through information gathering and verification of CO2 reduction effects. (2024/04/18)
