Hydrogen or battery tractors: what potential for sustainable grape growing?

Abstract

Capping greenhouse gas emissions and reducing air pollution on the farm challenges the place of the diesel tractor in future sustainable vineyards. Tractors are responsible for the largest share of all CO2 emissions at vineyard plot scale, mostly resulting from pest and disease management and soil maintenance (Adoir et al., 2019). Electric vehicles will thus be required to meet climate change reduction goals. In this article, the characteristics of battery and hydrogen electric tractors are compared, and their potential in the grapevine growing sector is assessed.