Truck transportation to become climate neutral

Volvo Trucks is taking part in a project for CO2-neutral transport together with the Centre for Environment and Sustainability (GMV), a network organisation at Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, Preem Petroleum AB (the largest oil company in Sweden), Schenker (one of the world's leading providers of integrated logistics services) and Vägverket (the Swedish Road Administration).

Increased transport on the roads has so far always led to added emissions of carbon dioxide and greater climate impact. Yet now this trend needs to be cut short. The group’s members have drawn up guidelines for what needs to be done, but more participants from within both industry and society are being encouraged to take part in the process.

Earlier this month, the group’s initiatives were presented at a seminar at the Swedish Ministry of the Environment where, together with Andreas Carlgren (the Swedish Minister for Sustainable Development) the group presented its visions and objectives for reducing carbon dioxide on Swedish roads. This will involve concrete measures and undertakings from each respective party, as well as a number of joint projects.

In their report entitled ‘Climate neutral goods transports on their way’ the group presented a variety of measures that can reduce the transport industry’s climate impact. The greatest improvements will be made by increasing energy efficiency. Through smarter logistics and investment in fuel efficient driving, transport will be made significantly more fuel efficient. The production and distribution of fuel must also be carried out in a more energy efficient manner and the trucks’ fuel consumption must also be lowered. In addition, an increased proportion of today’s fossil fuels will be replaced by renewable alternatives.

The major points were :

Each party’s efforts to increase fuel efficient driving will be intensified. Starting in 2008, Vägverket will increase the demands for fuel efficient driving on all those aiming to take their driving licence.

By partly replacing crude oil with biomass at the refining stage and by increasing blends of RME and diesel, the amount of renewable fuels will increase.

The conditions required for increasing the length of load carriers beyond today’s 25.25 metres, as a means of reducing carbon dioxide emissions, will be investigated.

The participating parties are also preparing a joint project where the various improvements will be tested in practice.

Goal – Climate impact halved by 2020

The group’s aim is to halve the climate impact of a typical Swedish long-haul transport by 2020, compared with 2005. This would create a significant reduction in carbon dioxide emissions from truck traffic, even if transport volumes continue to increase at the same rate as they have until now. The group points out that a broad engagement by industry, society and research institutes is required in order for this goal to be met. The long-term vision is to make future goods transportation entirely carbon dioxide-neutral.