Market Trends of Project Logistics Industry
Increasing Usage of Renewable Energies Boosts Opportunities for Project Logistics Companies
According to the latest update from the International Energy Agency, global renewable power capacity is expected to increase by a third in 2023 due to factors such as growing policy support, higher fossil fuel prices, and concerns about energy security.
This growth will continue next year, with the world's total renewable electricity capacity reaching 4,500 gigawatts, equivalent to the combined power output of China and the United States. In 2023, global renewable capacity is projected to increase by 107 gigawatts, the largest absolute increase ever recorded, reaching over 440 gigawatts.
This expansion is happening in major markets worldwide, with Europe, the United States, India, and China leading the way. China, in particular, is expected to account for nearly 55% of global renewable power capacity additions in both 2023 and 2024.
Wind power installations are expected to experience a significant recovery in 2023, with a projected increase of nearly 70% compared to the previous year. This comes after a challenging period of slow growth in the industry. The improved growth can be attributed to the completion of projects that were delayed due to COVID-19 restrictions in China and supply chain issues in Europe and the United States.
However, the extent of growth in 2024 will depend on whether governments can offer more policy support to address obstacles related to permitting and auction design. Unlike the solar PV sector, the wind turbine supply chains are not expanding quickly enough to keep up with the growing demand in the medium term. This is primarily due to escalating commodity prices and difficulties in the supply chain, which are impacting the profitability of manufacturers.
This renewable energy requirement incorporates project logistics as the machines and other parts are so huge that they are shipped separately and then assembled at the site.
Growing Modular Construction Driving The Market
The need for sustainable infrastructure is driving the development of construction technology that is efficient and environmentally friendly. The traditional construction method may no longer be sufficient to meet the requirements of sustainable infrastructure. Modularization offers a solution to the inflexibility of conventional construction methods. By using modular construction, the cost of construction can potentially be reduced by 40%, and activities can be carried out simultaneously on site preparation and modular prefabrication.
The shift towards modular (offsite) construction methods creates a new market, particularly for developing countries that have low labor costs and ample land for prefabrication areas. In terms of supporting sustainable infrastructure development, prefabrication methods can lead to significant material savings, such as 60% less steel, 56% less concrete, and 77% less formwork compared to conventional construction methods of a similar scale.
However, there are still challenges with the modular prefabrication concept, such as the economics of scale and the complexity of transporting modular components that exceed the size of ISO containers. This offsite construction model also opens up opportunities for international trade within specific geographical regions, depending on each country's competitive advantages. The growth of international free trade provides broader business opportunities and potential for new trading connections. International and regional trade also increases the overseas trading of engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) projects. The decision to use modular construction for overseas EPC projects impacts the development of project cargo movement and the overall investment in project logistics, including domestic and overseas logistics costs. Domestic logistics costs include manufacturing costs (fabrication, ready-mix concrete, bulk materials, rebar, and steel materials). In contrast, overseas logistics costs include vessel charter rates, bunker pricing, currency exchange, distance, volumetric sizing, insurance, and customs clearance.
