Volvo takes CO2-neutral truck good news from Gent to USA
After the Volvo Group’s notable showcasing of carbon dioxide-neutral trucks in Gent, Brussels and Stockholm last year, it is now America’s turn. In conjunction with the Washington International Renewable Energy Conference (WIREC) arranged by the US State Department in Washington, DC the Volvo Group will later today present seven different trucks, all of which can be driven without any net contribution of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.
During the conference, being held from March 4th–6th 2008, the Volvo Group will display seven different trucks - four Volvo FM’s, two Volvo VN’s and a Mack Pinnacle - which are equipped with engines specifically modified to operate with seven different renewable fuels or fuel combinations. At combustion in the vehicle, these fuels do not yield any net contribution of carbon dioxide to the eco-cycle and, consequently, do not affect the climate. In addition to the seven trucks, Mack will also display a hybrid electric vehicle.
The aim of WIREC is to highlight the global possibilities and challenges in the area of renewable energy. WIREC 2008 is the third global ministerial-level conference on renewable energy, following events in Beijing in 2005 and Bonn in 2004. Visitors at WIREC include government representatives from over 80 countries, politicians and interested parties from business and academia.
“The climate issue is global and one for which the transportation industry has a special responsibility,” says Volvo CEO Leif Johansson. “By participating in WIREC, we gain the opportunity to show the American public that the Volvo Group is not just part of the problem, it is also a part of the solution.”
In conjunction with the conference, the Volvo Group is arranging a seminar at which Volvo CEO Leif Johansson, Mack Trucks President Paul Vikner, Swedish Minister of Industry, Employment and Communications Maud Olofsson and Andy Karsner, U.S. Department of Energy’s Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy will participate.
“Volvo has the technology and resources for carbon dioxide-free transportation, but we cannot do it alone,” says Leif Johansson. “We also need large-scale production of renewable fuels and for this to occur requires substantial investments in research and development as well as clear and common guidelines from politicians and government authorities in as many countries as possible.”
Both the Swedish and American governments are involved in the effort to develop the technologies that reduce the use of fossil fuels in the transportation sector. Last autumn, a specific environmental programme developed by the American and Swedish governments, in which the Volvo Group participated, was presented. The programme aims at reducing the use of fossil fuels through working with projects in the areas of energy and automotive development. For Volvo, this involves developing drivelines for heavy vehicles that are adapted to alternative fuels. The projects are financed by Volvo as well as the Swedish and US governments.
