Clean energy: Why logistics is leading the transition

By the time the battery pack in your next electric car rolls off the assembly line, its components have likely traveled farther than you’ll ever drive it. Raw materials mined in Africa, cells made in Asia, modules assembled in Europe, and finished packs shipped back across oceans and continents for installation – it’s a complex, global network of supply chains most people never see.

But car batteries are only one piece of the New Energy puzzle. Energy systems that once operated separately – mobility, power, and fuel – are now converging into more integrated ecosystems. There’s a reason why companies like Tesla, BYD, and CATL aren’t just carmakers anymore. They’re also developing batteries, storage systems, and charging networks. We’re seeing similar developments in other industries, such as electric utilities expanding their roles beyond traditional power generation and oil and gas companies investing in low-carbon technologies and infrastructure, such as biofuels and hydrogen.

Recent headlines may lead you to believe companies are scaling back their “green” ambitions, but PwC’s 2025 State of Decarbonization report shows that 84% of companies are maintaining or accelerating their climate commitments. Most experts agree that the question is not if the energy transition will continue, but how fast and in what way it will evolve.

As industries converge and clean energy becomes the new baseline, logistics will keep everything connected and the transition in motion. But it won’t be without challenges.

For us at DHL, customers in this space no longer fit neatly into “automotive” or “energy” categories – they’re shaping a new ecosystem that demands logistics solutions as connected as they are. They need more than a logistics service provider, they need a strategic enabler.

Enter our new sector brand: DHL New Energy Logistics. We built this brand to match the pace of an industry in transformation. Developed under our Group’s Strategy 2030, it brings together a global network of experts from across multiple business units – Express, Global Forwarding, and Supply Chain – to unite our expertise in eight industry segments: solar, wind, EVs and batteries, battery energy storage systems (BESS), EV charging infrastructure, grid infrastructure, alternative fuels, and hydrogen.

Whether it’s coordinating battery logistics across continents, managing offshore wind supply chains, or building circular routes for recycling, DHL New Energy Logistics brings these activities together in one coordinated system. This approach is designed to improve integration, resilience, and delivery speed.

By collaborating with leading renewable energy and EV companies, building strategic customer relationships, and addressing sector-specific supply chain requirements, we support customers with tailored logistics solutions for their energy supply chains.

Internally, our shift is powered by a human engine. We have over 750 dedicated experts working side by side with customers to better understand their needs – a global network that shares insights, collaborates on complex projects, and builds solutions we can scale.

Beyond collaborating with customers, we’re also forging external partnerships with New Energy sector partners to enhance our capabilities and implement defined decarbonization measures within our own business, in line with DHL Group targets. For example, we’re working with Envision, a global wind turbine manufacturer, on large-scale renewable-energy projects that demand both industrial precision and time-critical logistics. And after signing a 10-year agreement with RWE for offshore wind power, expected to cover around 19% of our electricity consumption in Germany from 2026, we’re exploring a logistics collaboration for future offshore wind projects – expanding the customer-supplier relationship into a strategic partnership. 

In the New Energy sector, we see solar and battery storage as the fastest-growing segments, with onshore and offshore wind close behind. Hydrogen remains long on announcements but short on real-world investment, yet we’re keeping a close eye on developments and even testing the technology ourselves, like “Paul” here!

Customer expectations may vary, but the direction of travel is clear: toward larger, cross-sector supply chains that demand faster deployment, greater resilience, and more integrated logistics solutions.

The business opportunity is clear as well, which is why we’re pulling out all the stops to grow our New Energy business from €400 million in revenue today to €3 billion by 2030. Between now and then, we’ll continue transforming New Energy Logistics into a global platform that not only moves components but shapes supply chains.

New Energy is an exciting space where we’re more than a partner – we’re an enabler, helping customers reach new heights. When they plan their next gigafactory, offshore wind park, or battery recycling solution, we want them to call us first.