CO2Neutralp: Guidelines for Transport Professionals

Renewable Energies in Transport LOCAL ACTIONS TO PROMOTE A SHIFT TOWARDS THE AGE OF SOLAR MOBILITY

Guidelines for Transport Professionals

G U I D E L I N E S F O R T R A N S P O R T P R O F E S S I O N A L S 1

T H E P R O J E C T I S C O - F U N D E D B Y T H E E U R O P E AN REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT FUND

> University of Maribor - FCE, ITS (SI)

> University Bocconi CERTeT (IT)

> Rhônalpénergie Environnement (FR)

> RCL - Development centre Litija (SI)

> Provincia di Brescia (IT)

> Provincia di Belluno (IT)

> Parco Nazionale Cinque Terre (IT)

> Helmholtz Zentrum München (DE)

> Holding Graz (AT)

> Dolomiti Bus Spa (IT)

> Comune di Padova (IT)

> Comune di Torino (IT)

> Austrian Mobility Research FGM - AMOR (AT)

> AllgäuNetz GmbH & Co. KG (DE)

Partner:

> B.A.U.M. Consult München (DE)

Lead Partner:

CO2NEUTRALP - CO2-NEUTRAL TRANSPORT FOR THE ALPINE SPACE

Foreword Mobility is one of our most fundamental needs. We need to go to our jobs and go shopping, and our goods need safe and efficient transportation.

We want to meet with family and friends, and to spend holidays in faraway places. Reducing mobility in order to reduce our energy requirements is not an attractive option. We need to make our transport systems ecologically, economically, and socially sustainable without reducing their functionality.

We must meet the challenge of a continually increasing demand for mobility and the negative impacts that result.

The Alpine Space is a particularly sensitive area. Perhaps more so than other areas, it requires an efficient and environmentally friendly transport system. The mobility needs of all locals and visitors must be met, but doing so should not pollute the air. Traffic jams should neither affect quality of life nor negatively affect the economy. All traction systems should use energy efficient means of locomotion.

In the CO2NeuTrAlp project, 15 project partners throughout the Alps set out to test new mobility strategies. They wanted to prove - and they did - that it is possible to maintain flexibility and quality of life whilst preserving a healthy alpine environment. They used electric vehicles and cars powered by renewable fuels, trucks, ships, bicycles, and even electric mono-rail vehicles in steep vineyards. They started to integrate electric traffic systems and renewable energy power systems, as well as testing both individual modes of transport and intermodal systems which combined buses, cars and even cableways and taxi boats.

They experienced that changing traditional mobility systems and using new propulsion technologies requires a great deal of cooperation and common sense. It needs open-minded local authorities, as well as visionary leaders of transport companies and energy utility companies. Above all, it requires motivated people to demonstrate that a long term behavioural change in the use of vehicles and traffic systems does not reduce (and may even improve) quality of life.

As the leader of the CO2NeuTralp partnership, let me express my deep respect to all our partners. They have been pioneers and they have succeeded in overcoming multiple organisational and technological hurdles. These guidelines are intended to give an insight into their work processes and results. It is designed to allow public and entrepreneurial stakeholders create their own specific success stories.

On behalf of the entire partnership, let me say “thank you� to all funding institutions on a European, national and regional level. Their support has allowed us to develop good examples for CO2 neutral and sustainable transport in the Alpine Space. We hope that all followers will have the courage and spirit to modernise their transport systems, instigating a long-term behavioural change. The unique Alpine ecosystem and all its residents and guests will benefit from it!

Ludwig Karg, Executive Director of Lead Partner B.A.U.M.

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Solar CNG Compression and E-Mobility Comune di Torino (IT)

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E-Mobility & Winter Tourism Transport PiP Villard de Lans (FR)

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E-Mobility & School Transport and Commuting RCL - Development Centre Litija E-Bikes & Solar Charging and Rental System Comune di Padova (IT)

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Alt. Propulsion Systems & Accessibility in Agriculture and Tourism Parco Nazionale Cinque Terre (IT)

Electric Vehicles for City Logistics Interporto Padova (IT)

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E-Mobility & Public and Tourism Transport U niversity of Maribor

city logistics, tourism, agriculture and e-bikes.

15 partners carried out 12 pilot projects: electricity and biofuels were applied in public transport, car fleets,

PPO-Mobility & Waste Collection Pays de Romans (FR)

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E-Mobility & Summer Tourism Transport Safari Park de Peaugres (FR)

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Biogas & Public Transport Fleet Graz (AT) E-Mobility in mountain area Provincia di Belluno and Dolomitibus (IT) Eco-sustainable Boat & Lake Transport Lago d’Idro (IT)

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E-Mobility & Vehicle to Grid AllgäuNetz GmbH & Co. KG

Table of Contents Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Forerunners in the Alpine Space. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Sustainability Guidelines for Renewable Energies in Alpine Mobility. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 1. Environmental Criteria. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 2. Technical Criteria. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 3. Economic Criteria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 4. Social Criteria. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 5. Spatial Development Criteria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Striving for a clean environment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Climate protection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Clean energy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Air quality. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Noise. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Greening all transport sectors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Urban Public transport. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Tourist transport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Fleets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 City logistics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Pedelec rental system. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Private mobility. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Agricultural transport. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Using the right technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Biofuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Electric mobility. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Financing sustainable mobility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Pilot cases as examples of financial models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Training and maintenance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Involving Stakeholders. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Creating a favourable framework. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

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Introduction These guidelines are intended to summarise some of the most important experiences and findings from the transnational project “CO2NeuTrAlp – CO2-Neutral Transport in the Alpine Space”. A consortium consisting of 15 partners from different sectors (ranging from research institutions to public utility companies and local authorities) tested alternative transport technologies and mobility management measures in 13 pilot projects, covering various fields of transport, such as city logistics, public and tourist transport, as well as public authorities’ vehicle fleets.

Forerunners in the Alpine Space The 13 pilot projects distributed over five countries in the Alpine Space constitute the core of the CO2NeuTrAlp project. Although they have great potential, electric vehicles have not been the only technology used in this study. The crucial challenge to implementing electric mobility was the lack of experience in managing such new vehicle technologies in the framework of existing transport services, vehicle fleets, and the respective maintenance structures. The project partners of CO2NeuTrAlp faced considerable challenges, as from 2008 onwards they have been pioneering new trends in vehicle technology, where no ready-made solutions existed. The unavailability of reliable vehicles or adequate infrastructure has also presented a huge challenge on occasion. Additionally, in several cases the reluctance of public decision making bodies posed significant obstacles to the implementation of novel solutions. The lessons learned, therefore, were not only concentrated in the technical sphere, but showed that transnational cooperation can be a strong asset in promoting political support for innovative systems of transport. Another decisive action when promoting revolutionary solutions in the transport sector (both in terms of technology and organisation) is raising awareness among decision makers as well as users and other relevant stakeholders.

E-Mobility & Vehicle to Grid AllgäuNetz GmbH & Co. KG

13 Biogas & Public Transport Fleet Graz (AT)

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E-Mobility in mountain area Provincia di Belluno and Dolomitibus (IT) Eco-sustainable Boat & Lake Transport Lago d’Idro (IT) E-Mobility & Summer Tourism Transport Safari Park de Peaugres (FR)

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PPO-Mobility & Waste Collection Pays de Romans (FR)

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E-Mobility & Winter Tourism Transport PiP Villard de Lans (FR)

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Solar CNG Compression and E-Mobility Comune di Torino (IT)

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E-Mobility & Public and Tourism Transport U niversity of Maribor

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E-Mobility & School Transport and Commuting RCL - Development Centre Litija E-Bikes & Solar Charging and Rental System Comune di Padova (IT)

Electric Vehicles for City Logistics Interporto Padova (IT)

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Alt. Propulsion Systems & Accessibility in Agriculture and Tourism Parco Nazionale Cinque Terre (IT)

Graz (Austria): Biogas & Public Transport Fleet FACT SHEET

Pilot Project No. 1

Transport Sector: Public Transport Technology measures: Adaption of the bus fleet to gas propulsion Energy Sources: Biogas from biological waste and residues of households and industry Unique feature: Unique biogas plant in size and energy production in Austria

With several years of experience using biodiesel in public transport, Holding Graz (the public services company of the City of Graz) decided to explore the possibility to take the next step in sustainability and change to biogas produced from biological waste and residues, thereby using an even cleaner energy source, and avoiding the social sustainability issues created when food crops are used to produce fuels. The first step required to provide the Graz bus fleet with biogas was the specification of the technical and economic requirements for a biogas production plant and the modification of the Graz bus fleet. An initial study of the planned biogas plant for the conversion of sludge and biological waste showed that such a plant was not economically viable for use exclusively in buses. Therefore a co-operation with Energy Styria (the major energy provider in the region) was established and a larger (and therefore more cost efficient) plant became feasible.

This plant, the largest in Austria, was designed to be supplied with biological waste from the whole greater region of Graz. The biogas produced is designed to be fed into the natural gas network and to be available not only for buses, but also for other users. This was the first time in Austria that biogas could be used as a substitute for such large amounts of fossil natural gas.

For more information, please contact: Holding Graz– Kommunale Dienstleistungen GmbH, Gerhard Amtmann, gerhard.amtmann@holding-graz.at

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Pays de Romans (France): PPO-Mobility & Waste Collection FACT SHEET

Pilot Project No. 2

Transport Sector: City Logistics, Municipal waste collection Technology: Biofuels Energy Sources: Pure plant oil (local production)

In Pays de Romans, the local authority cooperated with the Regional Agency for Energy and Environment and local farmers in order to establish a local biofuel supply system. It was designed to use locally produced pure plant oil in municipal waste collection vehicles. When setting up the supply system, special emphasis was put on the sustainability of production, and on the use of locally produced biofuels. In the course of the project, precise environmental, social and spatial criteria for sustainable biofuels were defined. Two types for biofuels (organic-carburant, organic-fuel) have been registered by the regional energy agency Rh么nalp茅nergie-Environnement. Producers of biofuels can use these trademarks under the condition that the biofuel complies with the defined sustainability criteria. Furthermore, a legal study was conducted to ascertain the legal guidelines pertaining to the procurement of locally produced pure plant oil, taking into account public procurement law. This provided the necessary understanding of legal rights for both the local authority and the local producers.

For more information, please contact: Rh么nalp茅nergie-Environnement (RAEE), Laurent Cogerino, laurent.cogerino@raee.org

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Villard de Lans (France): E-Mobility & Winter Tourist Transport FACT SHEET

Pilot Project No. 3

Transport Sector: Tourism transport Technology: Electric bus, Photovoltaic panels Energy Sources: Electricity from solar energy

In Villard de Lans a solar charging system for electric buses transporting tourists from parking areas to ski lifts during winter was investigated. Formerly, this transport service had been performed by standard diesel buses. While used in Villard de Lans in winter, the electric buses are also suitable for use in summer for tourists visiting the Safari Park Peaugres (see also pilot project Safari Park Peaugres).

As part of the environmental policy of the local authority, this project was subject to a feasibility study before being implemented. This study provided precise information on the costs involved and the revenues to be expected when running this service using solar power from a photovoltaic system. A 50 passenger electric bus was tested under real conditions, providing insight into the challenges and advantages of implementing permanent changes.

For more information, please contact: Rh么nalp茅nergie-Environnement (RAEE), Laurent Cogerino, laurent.cogerino@raee.org

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Safari Park Peaugres (France): E-Mobility & Summer Tourist Transport FACT SHEET

Pilot Project No. 4

Transport Sector: Tourism transport Technology: Electric bus, Photovoltaic panels Energy Sources: Electricity from solar energy

The Safari Park Peaugres in France is setting up a solar charging system for electric buses transporting tourists, visiting the park during the summer season. There is the possibility that during winter, the buses can also be used to transport tourists from parking areas to ski lifts (see also pilot project Villard de Lans).

The Safari Park Peaugres attracts some 250 000 visitors each year. In summer, the approximately 1 200 cars per day circulating in the park create many problems, including stress and environmental problems such as air quality. By providing electric buses, these problems can be addressed. Solar panels can be installed, providing shade for the car parking. A test period using a solar powered electric bus in summer 2011 will allow the park management to better plan the service, based on available financial resources and its feasibility.

For more information, please contact: Rhônalpénergie-Environnement (RAEE), Laurent Cogerino, laurent.cogerino@raee.org

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Lago d’Idro (Italy): Intermodal Lake Transport FACT SHEET

Pilot Project No. 5

Transport Sector: Public and tourist transport, Over-land and lake transport Technology: Diesel Particulate Filter-equipped boat (in future electric / hybrid / solar boat) Energy Sources: Diesel (in future electric / hybrid / solar boat)

In the last three years the Province of Brescia developed and tested an intermodal bus and boat transport service for residents and tourists of Lake Idro. The new boat transport, which has operated during the past summers, was scheduled to align with the public bus service. This allowed tourists to arrive at the lake by bus and to reach the villages alongside the lake by boat pleasantly and comfortably, without being stuck in high season traffic jams. It was also accessible to people with physical disabilities, the elderly, and cyclists. This new integrated public transport system was greatly appreciated by both residents and tourists. This pilot project of the Department of Transport of the Province of Brescia had interesting spin-off effects: Firstly, a Europe wide study on existing technical solutions regarding zero emission lake transport (boat types and propulsion technologies) with the aim of developing a study on a full electric/ solar or hybrid boat that could be used in the future for Lake Idro navigation. Secondly, the testing of a diesel particulate filter apparatus (DPF: made of SiC- silicon carbonide, a thermal-shock-resistant ceramic material, 20-30 micron sized pores, a catalytic converter). This technology is completed by a regeneration system that consists of a central unit and a fuel additive tank, which can be applied to the conventional diesel engine of the boat. A filter test revealed that using the DPF filter could reduce emissions of particulate matter by 98%, carbon monoxide by 82%, uncombusted hydrocarbon by 75% and carbonyl composts by 68%, even with older diesel engines.

For more information, please contact: ALOT Agency of East Lombardy for Transport and Logistics, Guido Piccoli, guido.piccoli@alot.it; Province of Brescia, Transport Department, Pietro Spandrio, pspandrio@provincia.brescia.it

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Padova (Italy): Electric Vehicle for City Logistics FACT SHEET

Pilot Project No. 6

Transport Sector: City logistics service Technology: Electric vehicle Unique feature: Refrigerated cell for perishable goods

For several years, the City of Padova, situated in a major industrial zone with considerable air pollution from traffic, has been supporting and promoting sustainable urban freight distribution. The fleet of the local city logistics service City Porto, which was already equipped with eight low-emission LNG vehicles (liquefied natural gas), was complemented by an electric vehicle.

The electric vehicle, equipped with a refrigerating unit for the distribution of perishable goods, was purchased by the City of Padova, partly with CO2NeuTrAlp project funds, and placed at the disposal of Interporto Padova, the manager of the freight village. Interporto Padova, as manager of Cityporto service, runs and maintains the vehicle and provides training for drivers and vehicle maintenance staff.

An optimised ‘track-and-trace’ system for delivery of goods was instrumental in making the pilot project successful.

With two trips a day (each about 30 km) and up to 45 deliveries, the limited vehicle range (approximately 100 km) has never been a problem. The batteries are charged overnight using normal industrial plugs.

For more information, please contact: University of Bocconi, Gabriele Grea, gabriele.grea@unibocconi.it, or Carlo Vaghi, carlo.vaghi@unibocconi.it

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Belluno (Italy): E-Mobility in mountain areas FACT SHEET

Pilot Project No. 7

Transport Sector: Fleet vehicles of public authorities Technology: Electric cars Energy Sources: Dissemination through rotational test scheme for local authorities

In close cooperation with the local transport company Dolomiti Bus, the Province of Belluno has leased eight electric mini-vans with a maximum range of 75 km. The provincial government is a strong promoter of electric mobility in a region fully capable of supplying itself through hydro power. Twenty-three local authorities have been enabled to test an e-vehicle for six months free of charge. The municipalities used them to meet the mobility demands of public officers, and for technical tasks (e.g. maintaining public green-spaces and roads). The test drivers received training before the e-vehicles were handed over.

Experience shows that municipalities and public utility companies can fulfil most of their tasks efficiently with e-vehicles, despite the limited range of the e-vans. However, repair and maintenance of electric vehicles constitute a completely new challenge. Envisaging the future need for skilled labour, the vocational school in Longarone has started to have their teachers trained by the manufacturer. As well, all motor mechanic students are trained in electric vehicle technology. For local authorities, the main constraint so far is the high cost of e-vehicles, even though much lower operational costs will ensure amortisation over the life cycle of the vehicle. Therefore, the Province of Belluno plans to establish a rotational fund providing municipalities interest free loans to buy e-vehicles. Additionally, the public transport provider Dolomiti Bus has launched the ‘eco-friendly ticket’ which makes users of the bus service aware of how much they are contributing to environmental protection in terms of lower CO2 and PM10 emissions by using public transport instead of a private car.

For more information, please contact: Dolimiti Bus SpA, Rosi Frate, rfrate@dolomitibus.it or Nicola Moretti, nmoretti@dolomitibus.it; Province of Belluno, Fiorenzo De Col, f.decol@provincia.belluno.it

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Padova (Italy): E-Mobility & Pedelec Rental System with Solar Charging Facilities FACT SHEET

Pilot Project No. 8

Transport Sector: Pedelecs and conventional bicycles Technology: Pedelec rental system, Photovoltaic panels Energy Sources: Electricity from solar energy Unique feature: Combination of pedelecs and regular bikes in an automatic rental system

The City of Padova has developed a concept for combined rental stations of pedelecs (electric assisted bicycles) and conventional bikes. The system will be equipped with solar panels installed on the roof of the rental stations. The solar electricity will be used both to charge the pedelecs and to supply the rental station’s electricity needs.

The system has been designed for residents, commuters, tourists and students. Special fares will make this flexible transport service attractive. Flat rate tickets for one week, two weeks, a month or a whole year will be offered. Additionally, the bike sharing rental system will be integrated into the urban transport network of the City of Padova through a season ticket as a supplement to the mobility pass of the public transport system.

For more information, please contact: City of Padova, Antonella Vial, ufficio.biciclette@comune.padova.it

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Cinque Terre National Park (Italy): E-Mobility & Accessibility to Steep Terraces in Agriculture and Tourism FACT SHEET

Pilot Project No. 9

Transport Sector: Agricultural logistics Technology: Electric mono rail Unique feature: Development of a feasibility study on mono-rail vehicles charged with renewable energies

Electric and methane buses have been used for several years for tourist transport in the Cinque Terre National Park. However, the steep and terraced slopes of Cinque Terre remain a severe challenge to agricultural logistics. So far, 50 mono-rail vehicles (MRVs) provide access to the mountains from sea level. In most cases the two-stroke motors of the vehicles are old, noisy and polluting. Efforts are being made in a joint initiative of the University of Pisa and a renowned mono-rail manufacturer to develop an electric propulsion system. If this challenge can be successfully overcome, Cinque Terre will start replacing old vehicles, or retrofitting them with electric engines step by step. Currently a prototype MRV is being used to transport tourists. The use of renewable energy for charging the batteries of the MRVs makes the proposed system even more attractive. All information about accessibility to steep agricultural areas has been compiled in a map to support land use planning.

For more information, please contact: Cinque Terre National Park, Angela Rollando, arollando@tin.it

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Torino (Italy): E-Mobility, Solar CNG Compression & Public Transport FACT SHEET

Pilot Project No. 10

Transport Sector: Public transport Technology: Solar driven CNG compressors Energy Sources: Solar energy Unique feature: Transition technology for CNG buses until e-buses are broadly available

The City of Torino already has a long history of pioneering new technological solutions in the transport sector. Since 2003 the City of Torino has been operating 15 lead-gel battery electric buses on two different lines, allowing visitors to the commercial centre of the city to use the ‘park & ride’ facilities and to cover the last mile to the downtown area using zero emission buses. The original range of such lead-gel batteries, without charging cycles at each end of both lines, would be 50-60 km, however some experimentation is being conducted on two buses equipped with lithium batteries, and the results are encouraging: their range reaches up to 120-130 km. The public transport company of Torino plans to equip its bus depots with facilities to compress CNG (compressed natural gas) using photovoltaic power. The design for the first depot is ready, and a public call for comments on the working plan and the realisation of the project is scheduled to start in late 2011. The purposes of the studies carried out under the CO2NeuTrAlp project were to understand how to maximise the gains from the conversion, and how best to integrate existing technology (CNG buses) with photovoltaic systems. The City of Torino also intends to support the use of private electric vehicles. Therefore a pre-investment study has been carried out to investigate the possibility of locating public charging posts for electric cars and two-wheelers within the city area. The working plan and implementation will be financed by the City of Torino itself.

For more information, please contact: City of Torino, Lorenzo Pessotto, lorenzo.pessotto@collaboratori.comune.torino.it

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Litija (Slovenia): E-Mobility, Awareness & School Transport, Commuting FACT SHEET

Pilot Project No. 11

Transport Sector: Public transport and carpooling Measures: Fostering sustainable and intermodal public transport Strategies: Integral and intermodal mobility concepts; awareness raising

Due to the heavy traffic caused by commuters, travelling daily from within a wider region to Ljubljana, several municipalities around the capital cooperated to promote public transport as a more environmentally friendly option. One of the challenges was to improve the public transport system, which until now, has been expensive and iconvenient. A mobility concept for daily commuters was developed, which included intermodal transport options. Timetables of different public transport providers were aligned, and a car pooling web portal has been established. Furthermore, a feasibility study and business plan for the integration of school buses into public transport was conducted, and mobility concepts for the City of Kamnik and the Alpine valley Kamniška Bistrica have been developed.

Besides raising awareness in the public, an action plan was developed to foster activities at a national level - an indispensable step toward the implementation of an overall sustainable mobility concept.

For more information, please contact: RCL – Development Center Litija, Gašper Kleč, gasper.klec@razvoj.si

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Maribor (Slovenia): Intermodal transport chain of hybrid bus and cableway FACT SHEET

Pilot Project No. 12

Transport Sector: Public and tourism transport Technology: Intermodal chain of hybrid bus and electric cableway Measures: Combined public transport and cableway ticket

The Institute of Transportation Sciences of the University of Maribor has initiated a cooperative project between a public transport company, a cable car operator and the City of Maribor. The project links two different modes of transport by offering tourists and commuters an option to get from the city area to the foothill cableway station and back by bus instead of using a personal car. This allows people to reach the residential area and the important ski resort Maribor Pohorje via public transport. This goal was achieved through an integrated bus-ski-lift ticket which makes the combined use of both environmentally friendly means of transportation economically attractive, simple and time saving.

A test run of the proposed plans included the implementation of environmentally friendly public transport vehicles. One of the hybrid technologies combined a diesel engine with a system to store and reuse braking energy for acceleration. Another bus used CNG (Compressed Natural Gas). Buses running on CNG can also use biogas (bio-methane), which can be processed from organic waste.

When considering ecological criteria important in this specific situation, cableways are clearly preferable to road traffic. They produce less noise and lower emissions by having higher energy efficiency per passenger. Travelling is faster and infrastructure is less spacy and costly.

For more information, please contact: University of Maribor, Sebastian Toplak, sebastian.toplak@uni-mb.si

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Allgäu (Germany): Decentralised Pedelec Rental System for Tourism FACT SHEET

Pilot Project No. 13

Transport Sector: Pedelec rental system, Tourism transport Technology: Electric mobility Energy sources: Mainly hydro and solar energy

In the Allgäu region, the use of electric vehicles in tourism and local transport was strongly supported and promoted by a consortium of regional actors, including local energy suppliers, hotels, and the local tourism agency. By setting up a regional pedelec rental system with over 100 rental stations, and by demonstrating the use of electric vehicles such as Segways and pedelecs during regional events, the pilot project succeeded in integrating electric mobility emotionally and practically into society and among visitors of the Allgäu region. Within the project, the mobility behaviour of inhabitants and tourists, as well as their acceptance of electric mobility, was assessed and analysed. The findings and results provide useful support for the development of mobility concepts for Alpine regions. Furthermore, a study regarding the integration of e-mobility into the electric power grid (vehicle to grid) was carried out. Because of the acceptance of electric vehicles by the public, e-mobility will be further promoted by local stakeholders, including the use of electric cars and buses. Within the CO2NeuTrAlp project the Allgäu partners developed a concept for a large research and development project on information and communication technology (ICT) for electric mobility in tourism.

(For further information see www.ee-tour.de)

For more information, please contact: AllgäuNetz GmbH & Co. KG, Carmen Albrecht, carmen.albrecht@auew.de

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Sustainability Guidelines for Renewable Energies in Alpine Mobility The following criteria are recommended as guidelines for decision making with regard to the use of renewable energy sources in transport.

1. Environmental Criteria 1.1 The shift to cleaner energies and propulsion technologies shall not replace the primary objective of avoiding unnecessary trips through raising user awareness, promotion of a modal shift towards less energy consuming modes of transportation, mobility management measures as well as the general promotion of economic and settlement structures characterised by close proximity, generating less traffic.

1.2 In the selection of renewable energy sources, as far as regionally available and technologically appropriate, the use of waste material (biofuel production) and of surfaces already covered by settlement structures (solar power) or agricultural lands shall have preference over the use of new resources and surfaces with other important ecological functions.

1.3 If the cultivation of energy crops is necessary it shall follow the principle of a minimum application of artificial fertilisers and pesticides with negative consequences for the environment. The cultivation of energy crops on land with high biological diversity and the drainage of wetland must be avoided. The cultivation of energy crops shall not serve as a ‘door opener’ for genetically modified plants that, in the future, will also impact on food crop species by pollen loading. The production and use of biofuels shall follow the biofuels sustainability criteria of the European Commission to ensure that biofuels do not have a negative environmental impact.

1.4 Regarding availability of appropriate resources and technologies, when suitable within the overall local conditions, preference shall be given to renewable energy sources with the lowest overall emissions of greenhouse gases (from well to wheel balance, taking into consideration the positive effects of by-products, e.g. the use of heat in Combined Heat and Power plants), the highest efficiency in land use and the smallest input of non-renewable raw materials needed for energy production and the manufacturing of the transportation technology.

1.5 The selection of transport and propulsion technologies shall be guided by the objective of achieving the greatest possible net reduction of toxic emissions compared to the existing solutions to be replaced.

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2. Technical Criteria 2.1 Regarding the availability of appropriate resources and technologies, when suitable preference shall be given to propulsion technologies with the highest overall energy efficiency (energy input from well to wheel versus mobility output plus the use of collateral energy output, e.g. heat in CHP plants).

2.2 Where short daily usage time is most common, or where quick recharging is possible, preference shall be given to electric mobility with energy efficient engines. Onboard power generators that serve as range extenders can use easily storable biofuels in energy-efficient combustion engines.

2.3 When promoting the use of electric mobility, measures shall be sought to integrate e-mobility in the net management of electric grids (grid to vehicle, vehicle to grid) by using batteries to store power from a renewable energy supply and releasing it into the grid during peak times of electricity demand.

In the benefit analysis of electric mobility concepts a realistic life span of the batteries and the necessary raw materials shall be taken into consideration.

2.4 In the transport sector biofuels shall have preference in specific applications where electric propulsion has previously not been a technically viable option (e.g. long distances, heavy loads or air transport) or where trips cannot be avoided by measures such as mobility management and modal shift. Renewable energies from biomass, as an easily storable source of power, have great potential for equalising the electric energy supply in a future, fully renewable energy based system, thus solving the problem of supply fluctuations. Therefore, the required storage capacity shall be reserved for this important purpose.

2.5 Since vehicle weight influences the energy demand significantly, preference shall be given to lighter vehicles (without compromising safety) with less energy-consuming engines.

2.6 The selection and implementation of new transport technologies and infrastructure shall always take into consideration the need for internationally standardised or compatible solutions and products instead of isolated local or national approaches which will hinder transnational mobility and systemic integration in the future.

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3. Economic Criteria 3.1 The cost-benefit calculation on which the decision for a new transport technology will be based shall take into consideration hidden social and environmental costs. This way negative consequences provoked by the failure of the “free� market, and thus misguided long-term decisions based on shortterm profit can be avoided.

3.2 The provision of renewable energy sources for transport, and of the technologies (vehicles and infrastructure) needed for implementing new transport technologies shall give preference to solutions where a decentralised regional structure of supplying SMEs is given instead of highly centralised (sometimes even global) supply chains. This will help local and regional economies to benefit from new mobility scenarios and the respective communities to control possible negative effects of renewable energy production.

4. Social Criteria 4.1 If there is competition between the cultivation of energy crops and food production, food crops shall be given preference. Biofuels from energy crops shall only be used if the producer can prove that international social and environmental standards (such as the biofuels sustainability criteria of the European Commission) have been respected within the entire production process.

4.2 Technologies and infrastructure shall be compatible with the needs and expectations of all users, including the disabled. They shall help to maintain flexibility and quality of life while preserving the natural landscape and environment for locals and guests of the Alpine Space.

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4.3 Tariffs for new mobility options offered shall take into account the limited financial resources of certain user groups such as the elderly and students. New options provided shall make environmentally friendly (public) transport systems economically accessible.

5. Spatial Development Criteria 5.1 The use of endogenous renewable energy sources in the respective regions shall have preference over the use of resources imported from remote areas. This way renewable energies shall serve as an instrument to promote integrated regional development processes that also benefit disadvantaged rural areas, without jeopardising the preservation of the respective natural landscape heritage or important ecological functions.

5.2 Infrastructure for alternative transport technologies (e.g. public charge posts for e-vehicles, plug roaming systems, or filling stations for biofuels) shall be designed in a technically standardised and harmonised way to facilitate transnational mobility and spatial integration. In order to avoid spatial segregation and to promote balanced spatial development, small municipalities in remote areas shall also be properly equipped.

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Striving for a clean environment Reducing the impacts of the transport sector will provide direct and indirect, short-term as well as long-term environmental benefits which can become an important asset, especially for Alpine locations. The attractiveness of the whole Alpine Space, as a location for investment and an attractive region for residence, holiday and leisure, is directly affected by the environmental situation. The multiple threats to the environment caused by the transport system can be minimised when not only propulsion systems are changed, but also when a modal shift and a downsizing of vehicles can be achieved.

Although the climate change already detectable in the Alpine region (approx. 1 째C higher to date) is caused by world-wide emissions of greenhouse gases, regional strategies in the transport sector towards a reduction of emissions may help to mitigate the problem.

Climate protection To reduce the CO2-emissions from transport, several technical measures, such as the introduction of low emission engines) have been adopted. Nevertheless, the total CO2 emissions in 2007 were higher than in 1990, as the number and the yearly mileage of cars and trucks has increased. Options for mitigating global climate change include shifting from truck, car and air transport to electric rail transport, and the introduction of e-vehicles which use renewable electric power. Taking into consideration the current energy mix in Europe (2010: 23.2% natural gas; 2.2% oil; 27.6% coal; 28.0% nuclear; 19% renewable energies) CO2 emissions can be reduced by up to 40 % simply by replacing internal combustion vehicles with electric cars. If electricity production was based on green power, the reduction could exceed 80%, depending on whether electricity would be produced by wind-mills, solar panels or hydro power plants. In the Alpine region, the use of plug-in hybrid vehicles makes sense because the high power consumption on steep roads and lower battery capacity during winter reduces the maximum range of e-vehicles. Biofuel driven vehicles are also an option, if the biofuel is produced regionally and in strict accordance with ecological requirements.

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Demand of space for alternative propulsion systems Rape Oil

Biogas

BtL/Ethanol

Solar Electric

10 000

30 000

40 000

600 000

Energy demand (in kWh/100 km)

42

46

60

20

Number of cars (at 15 000 km/a)

1,6

4,3

4,5

200

Energy production (in kWh/ha*a)

Fig. 1: Demand of space for alternative propulsion systems (Source: CO2NeuTrAlp / Helmholtz)

This graph shows that the same surface can power 50-150 times more vehicles when using solar energy in combination with electric cars, compared to energy crops. g CO / km ² 250 200 150 100 50

na tur

effi c

ien

td ie s el al ga s( na PN tur G) al ga s( CN b io G) et h an ol (E -8 5) b io d ie p lu se l gin hy b io b p lu r id ga gin /c s oa hy p lu lp br gin ow id /B er hy av br ar id ia n /r en m ew ix ab ele ve p h ic o we le e/c r ve oa h ic l p le eo w / ve er Ba h ic va le ria /r n en m ew ix ab le po we r

l pe t ro

d ie se l

0

Fig. 2: CO2 emmissions of various fuel and traction systems (g / km), including production of fuels and batteries (Source: CO2NeuTrAlp / Helmholtz)

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Today, efficient diesel, hybrid and full electric vehicles have almost the same performance regarding CO2 emissions, given the average European electricity energy mix. In the future, provided that there will be an increased share of electricity produced from renewable energy sources, CO2 emissions attributable to electric vehicles during their operation periods will become negligible.

Vehicle type

g CO2 per person and km

Airplane

380

mid-size car

150

Train

40

Bus

20

mid-size e-car (EU energy mix)

100

mid-size e-car (renewable energy)

7

lightweight mid-size e-car (EU energy mix)

50

lightweight mid-size e-car (renew. energy)

3,5

Table 1: Vehicle CO2 emissions per person and km (Source: http://www.umweltbewusst-heizen.de/verkehr/CO2-Vergleich-PKW-Flug.html)

Clean energy All Alpine countries and regions are pursuing strategies to reduce environmental pollution and the emission of greenhouse gases. Regional trends within each of the Alpine countries, however, differ significantly. Bavaria aims to reduce CO2 emissions to below five tons per capita per year by 2030. Other regions, such as South Tyrol, have even more ambitious goals (2020: < 4 tons per capita/year; 2050: < 1,5 tons). The objectives of the Rh么ne-Alpes region also go beyond current national and European targets. Their aim is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2020.

National and European efforts are necessary to enhance the capacity of electrical transmission grids.

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Distribution grids also need to be made ready for digital control. They should become smart grids that can balance volatility from solar and wind power generation as well as cope with peaks from load processes of battery electric vehicles. For more information on such so called Virtual Power Systems see Alpine Space project AlpEnergy (www.alpenergy.net).

Air quality The air quality in Alpine valleys will improve if internal combustion engines are replaced by e-vehicles, or hybrid vehicles equipped with efficient exhaust control measures. However, as the experience with environmental zoning of several cities in Germany has shown, it is difficult to quantify the effects of these measures due to the effects of overlapping meteorological influences.

For several CO2NeuTrAlp pilot projects, however, the effects of selected individual actions and scenarios regarding the emission of CO2 and certain other air pollutants have been roughly calculated.

The most substantial decrease in emissions within the CO2NeuTrAlp project has been achieved in the Belluno pilot project, where internal combustion diesel vans have been replaced by e-vans. Due to the extensive availability of hydro power in the Province of Belluno these vans can be charged with 100% renewable energies.

Depending on the percentage of renewable energies within the energy production a reduction of NOx and PM10 up to 95 % is conceivable. Correspondingly, the emission of CO and hydrocarbons will also have drastically decreased. If diesel vehicles are substituted by methane fuelled internal combustion vehicles, the reductions would also be considerably high (CO2: -10%; NOx: -50%, PM10: -90%; CxHx: -80%; CO: -50%). When using bio-methane, CO2 emissions would sharply decrease. However, it is important to remember that sustainable mobility comprises the entire system of individual and shared transport, public and private commuting, and the transport of both people and goods.

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Noise At low speeds, and especially when accelerating, electric cars produce far less roadway noise than vehicles propelled by an internal combustion engine. As an investigation in an Alpine region showed, the comparison of noise emissions between 20 e-cars and 20 conventional cars travelling at 30-50 km/h resulted in a difference of 3-4 decibel during stop-and go-traffic situations, the difference was about 8 decibel. However, for cyclists and pedestrians sharing the same road space it can be helpful to include an additional vehicle sound which increases the noise emitted by e-cars. At speeds the sound created by the air flow reduces the difference in noise emissions to nearly zero.

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Greening all transport sectors In mass media the opportunities to green the transport system through alternative propulsion systems are generally portrayed as being exclusively related to cars. However it has been proven by the CO2NeuTrAlp project and numerous other pioneers that, for almost all sectors of the transport system, vehicles using green technologies and alternative propulsion systems are already available and can be adapted to almost any requirements. Above all, in tourism and in the fleets of environmentally conscious companies and local administrations the offer and usage of ‘green’ vehicles will be highly regarded, thus creating an extra benefit for the respective stakeholders. However for certain applications, for example for heavy duty vehicles, so far there are only few e-vehicles offered on the market. In other transport fields, however, such as electric two-wheelers like pedelecs and e-scooters, economically and technically competitive solutions are already available on the market – and offer is expanding very fast. In the vehicles available, very few remaining technical challenges have been reported. Therefore investment in such systems can be made effective immediately.

Urban public transport Public transport is inherently more efficient and more environmentally friendly than private transport by car. This is especially true when we succeed in providing modern public transport vehicles using green technologies and alternative propulsion systems. Since 2003 the City of Torino has been operating 15 lead-gel battery electric buses on two different lines allowing visitors to the commercial centre of the city to use the ‘park & ride’ facilities and to travel the last distance to the downtown area using zero emission buses. After years of continuous operation a very positive balance can be drawn. The 15 seat plus 22 standing passengers buses, whose maximum range in an urban environment reaches 110 km thanks to the 11 minutes recharging cycles at each end of both lines, are now progressively undergoing their third change of battery. The stated cycle life of the batteries is 800 recharging cycles, which in practice allows 30 to 40 000 km or two years of travel before they need to be replaced. Technical failures have been very rare, permitting constant operation. Maintenance costs for these e-buses where approximately 70% lower compared to regular diesel buses.

During the implementation of the pilot project the City of Maribor tested environmentally friendly public buses. For this purpose it used two types of energy efficient vehicles: CNG buses and hybrid buses with a system for storing energy that would otherwise be lost in braking to be reused during acceleration of the vehicle. A hybrid bus used as a test bus in the pilot project produced 40% less CO2. Some of

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the advantages of using CNG powered buses compared to regular diesel buses observed during the test phase were lower maintenance costs, lower emissions, less noise and a more comfortable ride for the passengers. In the test phase CNG buses produced 30% less CO2 compared to the regular diesel buses. This also contributed to approximately 20% savings in fuel consumption and approximately 30% less CO2 emissions per km. The decision to use CNG buses was made because they allow easy transition to biomethane which will be more readily available in the future.

Tourist transport A healthy environmental is very important for the development of tourism in rural and mountain areas as it makes touristic destinations more attractive. Therefore ‘green mobility’ is a very important factor in promoting tourism. Additionally, tourism may be the sector in which extra investments in environmentally friendly transport technologies are most appreciated by clients and users. The pilot projects have included new solutions for lake transport and individual mobility of tourists, as well as increases in the number of tourists able to be transported in other areas. For example, the concept developed by the Province of Brescia which links public road transport directly to lake transport, allowing visitors to reach remote and scenic locations without relying on their private vehicle.

The first positive effect of the implementation of the new public boat on Lake Idro has been a reduction in the use of private vehicles. The second is a reduction in the number of private motor boats on the lake. The new public transport now allows tourists to take trips on the lake without needing to rent private motor boats. Residents also benefit, and for some the public boat has become the preferred means of transport as it saves travel time for residents.

In the region of Rhône-Alpes RAEE has developed a strategy to combine the complementary transport demands of a summer and a winter tourist destination. While in Peaugres the zoological park has heavy traffic during summer when visitors drive with private vehicles through the wild-life park, the village of Villard de Lans has traffic peaks in winter, when skiing tourists need transportation from the parking area to the cableway station of the skiing resort. Both transport challenges in these neighbouring tourist destinations can be met by the same electric bus, recharged by solar energy provided by photovoltaic panels. These have been financed by extra income generated through electricity sales under the French ‘feed-in law’. The main benefit of combining summer and winter tourism in this case, for which it is ideally suited, is that vehicles, and therefore investments, can be used throughout the year.

In the Allgäu region tourists can rent an electric car at various hotels. After a brief technical introduction, anyone holding a regular driving license can experience driving an electric car first-hand. Experience

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shows that the average range of the vehicles (approximately 100 km) is suitable for all excursions tourists usually make in the mountain region. In most instances the charging posts at the most important touristic and urban locations are not even necessary to arrive safely back home. Most of the long-term tested electric cars are technically mature products. For tourists being on holiday is an ideal opportunity to enjoy testing a new technology. After only a single test day, most users can imagine later purchasing an electric car for private use to meet daily mobility demands.

In the Maribor region visitors of Pohorje can use a cable-car to reach the mountain summit. This is a popular activity for tourists, and therefore the University of Maribor Faculty of Civil Engineering, along with its partners, developed a combined ticket system. This includes both the public bus and cable-car.

This new offer is aimed especially at winter visitors, who usually come to the foot of Pohorje by car. This has lead to increasing congestion in the parking areas. During the test period transport partners offered a combined ticket, which was valid for both the bus and cable-car system. The results showed a 5% increase in cable car and bus use among visitors who usually travelled by car. This kind of multimodal transportation option is not only viable in an environmental sense, but can also contribute to promoting tourism in both winter and summer.

Fleets Fleets provide the ideal conditions for the use of innovative propulsion technologies such as electric cars and vans. The purposes of trips are usually well known. Therefore, the appropriateness of a vehicle for the given mobility demands can be well judged.

The administration of the Province of Belluno and all 22 testing municipalities of the electric mini-vans reported very good experiences with this new vehicle technology. In almost all cases the power and range of the vehicles was sufficient for the street and green area maintenance for which they were commonly used. However, current battery technology still shows limited performance during winter.

Maintenance and energy costs for the vehicles were very low due to the reliable and energy-efficient technology.

In the Allg채u region the potential to replace the working fleet of a regional power supplier with electric cars has been analysed. The result showed that 61 % of the existing conventional cars could be replaced with electric cars already available on the market.

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City logistics The field of city logistics offers particularly interesting opportunities for reducing transport related environmental impacts within cities. First of all, the replacement of individual deliveries made by partially loaded trucks to the final client or retailer with optimised tours made by smaller city logistics vans with a higher loading factor helps to avoid unnecessary noise and emissions in busy urban centres. Secondly, green vehicle technology, ideally electric propulsion systems, can help to minimise the environmental impacts of goods delivery as has been demonstrated in Padova.

Intelligent Logistics fuel electric

Hybrid

Main Logistic Center Regional Logistic Center City Zero Emmission Zone

Fig. 3: Intelligent logistics means long range transport with trains or efficient trucks and delivery into the urban zero emission zones with electric or hybrid lorries

Interporto Padova has been operating an electric vehicle (3.5 t) for almost two years without any serious technical problems. The range of approximately 100 km allows delivery tasks to be fulfilled within the same delivery trip schedules as performed by vans running on diesel or Liquified Natural Gas (LNG).

Batteries are charged overnight with a regular high voltage plug. Maintenance costs were able to be kept very low, which compensated for the extra costs for the initial purchase of the vehicle. However, practices for the day-by-day vehicle handling and maintenance (e.g. routines for recharging) had to be developed and staff trained to follow them.

Interporto even managed to deliver refrigerated goods with the electric truck. This operation, never before tried in a city logistics test in Europe, was possible through the deployment of a movable refrig-

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erated cell that is cooled overnight at a stationary plug and loaded with goods (in this case chocolate).

During the day, the refrigerated cell keeps the goods cool without extra energy input from the vehicle.

Pedelec rental system Pedelec rental systems are the ideal partner in an inter-modal system. Visitors arriving to a city or to a rural tourism destination by train or other means of public transport can easily use them. As these bicycles rely on electric power assistance, longer distances and hilly areas are more easily accessible than on regular bicycles. To facilitate user acceptance, the process of renting a pedelec must not be too complicated. To avoid user reluctance a new user must be able to understand and undertake the procedure of registration and rental within a few minutes. Tariffs must be kept simple and economically attractive. In the Allg채u region a rental network has been established that relies on personnel handing over pedelecs in rental stations and extra batteries in bike shops, hotels and restaurants.

The network has grown very fast without subsidies and investments from public network partners. The costs and extra benefits are fully covered by the users as the pedelecs and batteries are provided by a pedelec rental company. The system is easy to replicate, and provides an extra level of attractiveness to tourist destinations as tourists appreciate the opportunity to test an pedelec during their holidays, while simultaneously increasing the geographic range of leisure time activities available to them. In summer 2010 a total distance of 400 000 km was covered by pedelecs (300 pedelecs with each running an average of 2 000 km in summer 2010).

The City of Padova has developed a concept for an automatic pedelec rental system. It receives its necessary energy from solar panels that provide shade and a shelter for the pedelec rental stations at the same time. To date, only a few companies worldwide offer such systems on the market, however the potential benefits for cities are enormous. Pedelec rental systems ideally complement journeys in which commuters or tourists make the long distance using public transport and then continue to their final destination with a pedelec-providing maximum local flexibility and low costs. Ideally, such pedelec

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rental systems should be jointly managed, allowing users to register once and thereafter use pedelecs in any city or location throughout a country or, at a later stage, even at a European level.

Private mobility Currently pedelecs are by far the economically most accessible and environmentally friendly transport option available to replace the conventional private car for the purpose of individual mobility. The purchase costs of a pedelec exceed those for a regular bicycle by only a few hundred Euros, and consumers can be sure that they can find products with a fully mature and reliable technology. Pedelecs allow users to master distances and slopes that, without electrically powered assistance, would be hard to overcome. Commuters can reach their office or working place without sweating and leisure time users can increase their geographical range for excursions without great effort. The electric power needed for a trip by pedelec of approximately 50 km equals the power needed for taking a hot shower for 10 minutes.

Electric scooters can also claim most of the above mentioned advantages of pedelecs. Most products offer autonomy of 50 to 100 km or more, and only one square meter of solar panels is required to provide the electricity needed to cover all mobility demands throughout the year. With energy costs of roughly 60 cents per 100 km the e-scooters provide mobility far cheaper than conventional motorcycles while offering comparable speeds.

Regular and light electric cars are still rather expensive when their purchase includes batteries. Commercial offers for such products are still limited, but are expanding rapidly. It can be expected that

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prices will decline comparably to those of laptops or regular entertainment products in recent years, as soon as mass production starts and the associated significant advances in battery technology are made.

First experiences show that with an electric car almost all daily mobility demands can be easiliy met.

Ideally, e-cars in the future should be lighter and therefore more energy-efficient than conventional ones. Today, car-sharing initiatives have the potential to provide conditions ideally suited for introducing this environmentally friendly technology into common use.

Agricultural transport In mountain regions accessibility to agricultural areas is often the main challenge to the management of agricultural estates. Generally the difficulty of accessibility is also increased by the high environmental value of these areas, which does not permit regular accessibility infrastructures. When these areas are also ecologi­cally sensitive and important for tourism, innovative systems of transportation and mobility are necessary.

In the case of the Cinque Terre National Park, a concept has been developed to retrofit mono rail systems with battery based electric engines. The original two-stroke engines caused not only considerable noxious emissions, but were also responsible for significant noise emissions. Exchanging conventional two-stroke engines with electric engines within the same vehicles will help to keep investment costs low and ensure that existing infrastructure can be kept in use. In the future, a license to transport passengers will be sought in order to allow the expansion of the use of these vehicles into the tourism sector, which also encompasses the steep terraces above the Mediterranean Sea. In the Allgäu region a hybrid tractor was tested. A 50 kWh battery boosts the diesel motor and provides energy for supplementary appliances. In the future the battery can also be used as an on-demand source of electric power to balance fluctuating power generation from renewable energy sources (for the topic smart grids see Alpine Space project AlpEnergy, www.alpenergy.net).

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Using the right technology While in the distant future electric mobility may be the prevailing technology, today we must rely on a clever mix of propulsion systems. In cities and for short distances pedelecs, electric scooters and light electric cars are the most energy efficient choice. Long distances can be covered by trains or low emission vehicles â&#x20AC;&#x201C; using biofuels, if necessary, in improved combustion engines. In the agricultural sector tractors can run on pure plant oil.

Right technology at right place Oily Plants

Biogas

BtL/Ethanol

Solar Electric

Farming

Industry

City

... secure

... low emissions

... efficient

Fig 4: Right technology at right place (CO2NeuTrAlp; Source: Tomi Engel)

The pilot experiences made during the daily use of alternative propulsion systems in different transport sectors has produced some remarkable results.

Biofuels Regarding biofuels, the main challenge is not motor and filter technology, but rather the provision of appropriate fuels that respect sustainability criteria. Pure plant oil can be produced easily in

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decentralised plants by farmers. However long-term contracts and propitious taxation over the long term by the national government are necessary to enable farmers to get active in biofuel production.

Moreover, it is important to note that a biofuels production strategy must take into account the risk of competition with traditional production. It is therefore important to adopt adequate measures to prevent an increase in the price of basic goods, and to preserve biodiversity.

Electric mobility Within the experimentation experiences, electric vehicles have proven their ability to cover most daily mobility demands reliably. Battery electric vehicles are still expensive, however this is the only real drawback of this propulsion system. Pilot and demonstration projects have proven the general viability of this technology:

Vehicle performance Electric vehicles are usually very easy to drive (comparable to automatic transmission vehicles).

Drivers generally adapt quickly to the few specific features regarding vehicle handling, and the hardest obstacle to overcome seems to be the need to recharge the vehicle at the right time.

The frequently discussed road safety issues with very low noise emissions of e-cars is mainly relevant at very low speeds, and is already on the way to being solved by the automotive industry with appropriate acoustic signalling. Appropriate e-vehicles can perform the same tasks as conventional vehicles, ranging from personal mobility to goods transport. Currently the only issue in which conventional vehicles outperform e-vehicles is on very steep mountain areas, where some vehicles lack the power required. This can be easily solved by manufacturers by incorporating an extra drive mode to enhance vehicle power in specific situations.

Battery performance Latest technology battery management systems make sure that batteries are not overly stressed by load cycles. Modern battery systems can stand 3 000 load cycles and more. This is sufficient to run the car more than 100 000 km. During winter cold temperatures affect the battery performance and lifespan considerably. This is even more of a problem in mountain areas, which are generally colder. Manufacturers therefore need to ensure that the battery is properly insulated from heat and cold. Additionally they will provide means of keeping the battery at an appropriate temperature when vehicles are plugged in. Vehicle owners should provide sheltered parking spaces to protect batteries from extreme temperatures. Experience shows that, with

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current technology, e-vehicles perform optimally when used regularly. Occasional use and especially long periods of inactivity may affect battery performance, increase the risks of damage, and lower reliability. This is another reason to run electric cars in sharing systems.

Battery advances: The world record is over 600 km with a battery comparable to a conventional e-carbattery in size and weight (source: http://www.ikt-em.de/de/1193.php)

Charging facilities As experience generally shows, over ninety percent of charging is done at home and at workplaces. Experience has shown that private slow charging posts represent an immediately available and effective charging facility, at least for the short term.

Today, public charging points have a psychological effect on potential e-vehicle clients and help to introduce this technology. In particular, an efficiently designed network of public charging facilities, located at relevant locations (public parking, universities, business districts, etc.) can allow a more efficient use of electric cars by commuters. Before installing this infrastructure at a large scale, decision makers should carefully consider and empirically analyse the users’ needs. The development of a network of charging facilities should be planned in accordance with mobility analyses and traffic management strategies.

Special attention has to be paid to the specific demands of charging patterns of different battery types and brands. Technologies of these charging stations are expected to undergo various redesigns in the near future. This is not so much true for plugs: there are only two remaining options in Europe, and maybe there will be soon a joint standard. But it is not yet decided if slow or fast charging will be the prevailing choice and how user identification, roaming and billing will be handled. Fast charging may seem convenient, but slow charging has proven to sustain battery longevity much more effectively, and also helps preserve the integrity of the power grid.

However, the development of fast charging will be a crucial component of the second phase of e-vehicle diffusion as envisioned for the year 2015, when new technologies will be competitive with traditional propulsion systems. Then charging facilities should allow ‘intelligent charging’ and other ‘smart grid’ operations.

Battery swap systems may be an interesting option for vehicles that run several hundred kilometres per day (e.g. taxis). Rail users should also be given the opportunity to simply rent an electric vehicle from a car pool for local transport at their final destination. Another option will be wireless charging. It is already in use for taxis and small buses in some pilot projects. Vehicles are charged while waiting for passengers to board.

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Maintenance Brakes, gear box (if there is any) and engine of electric vehicles require much lower and less costly maintenance. A considerable obstacle, however, is the high investment cost that automechanic garages need to make for the tools required specifically to analyse and repair e-vehicles. As the density of electric vehicles is still very low in most regions, investing in maintenance capacities is often not profitable. Such private investments should therefore be subsidised during the launching phase of electric mobility. Governments also need to become active when it comes to the systematic training of motor mechanics for electric engines in vocational schools.

The deployment of electric vehicles is increasingly done by automotive manufacturers themselves, rather than by assemblers and retrofitters as has been the case in the recent past. Thus automotive manufacturers should provide thorough and reliable post-sales assistance, starting with the creation of a network of authorised maintenance service.

Electric mobility is only CO2 neutral when the energy is provided by renewable energy sources. Optimal charging energy consists of the surplus of renewable energy that is not required in the grid at the time of production. The idea is that this surplus of energy can be recovered during times of low energy production or high energy demand when it is stored in the e-vehicles. As the Alpine Space projects AlpEnergy and CO2NeuTrAlp have shown, this field of development still requires a lot of research and development, but has great potential, and it is therefore important to promote the connection between renewable energy and electric mobility. This topic is being addressed by the Allg채u partner of CO2NeuTrAlp in various parallel projects.

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Financing sustainable mobility The necessary investment costs, especially for electric vehicles and their charging infrastructure, are still relatively high. In the long run, however, lower maintenance and energy costs reduce the overall mobility costs per kilometre considerably. The challenge, therefore, is to find ways to overcome the initial obstacle of high investment costs. National governments would be well advised to create conditions conducive to reducing these investment costs for environmentally friendly and energy-efficient vehicles through focussed subsidies (tax rebate, cheap loans, purchase grants etc.). Maintenance and energy costs could be further reduced by exempting renewable energy consumption from taxation. Another important element to be taken into account (as is demonstrated in the following paragraphs) is the involvement of private firms from the automobile sector in a public-private partnership that could generate mutual benefits for both partners. The costs for battery substation and decommissioning have to be taken into consideration. These measures could be taken at an EU level in order to synchronize the pace of alternative vehicle introduction across all European countries.

Some European countries have taken a lead in overcoming high investment costs for electric vehicles: Ireland: The Department of Transport wants 10 percent of all vehicles on Ireland’s roads to be electric by 2020 as part of the ‘Electric Transport Plan’. Agreements have already been reached with car manufacturers to support electric vehicle infrastructure with Green Party Minister for Energy Eamon Ryan announcing a scheme to deploy 1 500 electric vehicle recharging stations along with 30 high voltage fast charging units. Incentives to support the purchase of electric cars have also been announced – including a 5 000 Euros capital grant.

Norway: All electric vehicles are exempt from all non-recurring vehicle fees, including sales tax.

Electric vehicles are also exempt from the annual road tax, all public parking fees, and toll payments, as well as being permitted to use bus lanes.

Portugal: A national plan has been created by the Portuguese government that will fund electric mobility. Electric cars are free from circulation tax and taxes on acquisition price until 2012, while the first 5 000 electric cars sold in the country will benefit from a 5 000 Euro incentive each.

The government has also linked up with car makers to set up electric car charging points across Portugal with the aim of having 1 350 in place by the end of 2011.

United Kingdom: The ‘Plug-in Car Grant’ has been available across the U.K. since January 2011.

The program reduces prices by providing a 25% grant towards the cost of new plug-in electric cars that qualify as ultra-low carbon vehicles. The benefit is capped at 5 532 Euros. Both private

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and business fleet buyers are eligible for such government grants.

At the local level in Europe, municipalities, other administrative bodies and companies have to rely on their own financial capacities and/or creativity to find ways to overcome financial constraints when introducing alternative vehicle technologies that may be more expensive than conventional vehicles.

The first option should always be to check whether a certain mobility demand really requires a certain vehicle type and size, or whether the same service could be provided by a smaller vehicle. Some fleet vehicles, (for example those used for individual transportation of personnel) could easily be replaced by light electric vehicles. Sometimes even a passenger car can be replaced by a two-wheeler, a pedelec or an e-scooter. Here, environmental benefits and cost reductions are obvious and riding such ecological two-wheelers is often even considered more fun by the user. In other cases up to two or even three times higher investment costs will incur if a certain vehicle needs to be replaced by the same vehicle with electric propulsion. If no companies are available in a certain national market that rent out the costly vehicle battery instead of selling it to the client, then other innovative ways to finance the high investment costs need to be found. The following cases show some of these approaches, and of course there are many more possibilities that can be adapted to local needs and opportunities.

Agreements between regional or local administrations and private companies could also represent a means of spreading the use of green vehicles. This has been the case in Italy where an agreement between the Emilia-Romagna Region and Italyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest power company has been reached. It seeks the promotion of electric mobility in three towns of the Emilia-Romagna Region (Bologna, Reggio Emilia and Rimini) thanks to three separate projects with the aim of supplying each town with adequate charging infrastructure for electric vehicles (private and public). The aim of the project is to define measures for regulations and laws and in general in order to facilitate an easier implementation of electric mobility at a national level.

In an earlier project a collaboration between the City of Reggio Emilia, the Province of Reggio Emilia and a private car rental company has been promoted. In 1999 the company began to rent electric vehicles to public administrations and also private customers. These vehicles can move inside the limited access zone of the historic centre of the town, thus benefitting merchants in the city centre. By the end of 2010 as a result of this project, 315 vehicles were used daily within the town, amounting to an annual saving of 442 tons of CO2 emissions, 369 000 litre of fuel, and 278 000 Euros of overall costs.

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Pilot cases as examples of financial models Public administrations have a duty to foster changes through financing methods of eco-friendly transport that should improve the mobility system whilst taking into account all constraints associated with new solutions. One of the aims – perhaps the most important – of European co-financed projects is to create the opportunity to replicate the results of pilot projects in other areas at the EU Level. Nevertheless, it is not always possible to replicate good solutions because of budget, technical, timing or territorial constraints. At the same time, recognizing existing experiences is the base of finding the best solutions for overcoming possible problems that may be encountered, and that have probably already been discovered and overcome by other administrations during previous experiences. Therefore the first step in any project should be an analysis of solutions which have already been implemented.

Padova – Interporto: The purchase of the initial LNG-powered fleet was co-financed by the region and the Ministry of Environment. Cityporto itself had a strong interest in expanding its range of service with green vehicles and was therefore willing to bear higher investment costs.

Belluno: The Province of Belluno has developed a concept called ‘Rotation Fund’ to promote the purchase of electric vehicles by public bodies and in the future also by private bodies or even individuals.

At the moment the initiative has been hampered by financial constraints due to a lack of public funding.

The public transport company Dolomiti Bus bought an electric vehicle using a cheap loan from the Cassa Deposito e Prestiti (granted by the Italian Ministry of the Environment) financing 65% of the overall investment costs. The eight electric vehicles of the Province of Belluno didn’t require an initial purchase investment at all. They were leased on the basis of a long-term contract provided

by Dolomititours.

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Allgäu: The regional energy supplier Allgäuer Überlandwerk (AÜW) and the City of Sonthofen have invested company, and municipal funds respectively in electric vehicles for their fleets: e-scooters, pedelecs and Segways. In addition, a national partnership acquired national governmental funding for an electric mobility project in the Allgäu region, which allowed e-cars and charging stations to be procured (see www.ee-tour.de).

The main project activity in CO2NeuTrAlp, however, didn’t require investment costs at all. The regional energy supplier simply served as an initiator of a regional pedelec rental network with over 100 rental and battery change stations and more than 300 pedelecs. A pedelec rental company offered network partners a rental contract for the pedelecs and batteries which limits costs to the summer months, when they can be rented out most profitably.

Pays de Romans: The investment costs for adapting the waste collection truck to the specific requirements of pure plant oil (PPO) as fuel have been covered completely by the municipality.

Local decision makers see the benefit of relying on local and renewable energy sources with price and availability guaranteed over the long-term. Farmers will have to invest 20 000 Euros for a press and filter to produce PPO. For farmers the investment is only profitable through a long-term contract with the municipality, providing security that PPO sales will provide the necessary return on investment.

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Training and maintenance All existing maintenance structures and services, including technicians and their skills, have been well adapted over decades to meet the requirements of conventional vehicles with internal combustion engines. For garages, the repair and maintenance of electric vehicles, however, constitutes a totally new challenge. A lot of effort will be required to provide adequate infrastructure and skilled personnel to provide the same level of service quality for electric vehicles as for conventional engines within a short period of time. Companies and administrations which operate fleets of e-vehicles will also need to provide their own skilled labour force. For the time being, motor mechanics that can maintain or repair electric vehicles simply do not exist at all, and vehicle owners still have to rely on assemblers, often not recognised as â&#x20AC;&#x153;authorised maintenance firmsâ&#x20AC;? by automotive manufacturers. Therefore the search for reliable maintenance is often a challenge. One of the most significant difficulties is the investment needed by garages, requiring specific electronic instruments to repair electric vehicles. Moreover, any authorised sales and maintenance operator needs to be kept up-to-date by manufacturers with specific training activities in order to keep pace with the evolving product range and newly introduced innovations. It is therefore very important to involve the public, stakeholders, and labour associations in order to increase awareness of the problems associated with the maintenance of electric vehicles.

Belluno: The Province of Belluno and Dolomiti Bus have initiated the provision of skilled electric motor mechanics. The vocational school ENAIP Veneto of Longarone has started to have their Motor Mechanics teachers trained by the manufacturer of the electric vehicles. All future motor mechanic students at the school will receive additional training in electric vehicle technology.

The curriculum covers all basic aspects of higher voltage electricity, engine components, battery characteristics, hybrid engines and charging facilities.

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The curriculum includes: • Use of the diagnostic tools to detect the status of the electric car • Carrying out checks on electrical and electronic equipment of the vehicle • Using the station diagnosis • Performing tasks associated with the braking system and using the engine braking system for an electric traction vehicle • Performing tasks associated with various components of an electric drive system Dolomiti Bus has also developed a concept for basic driver instruction for public employees who drive an electric car for the first time, this includes: • Correct procedure for recharging • Procedure to start and stop the vehicle as well as how to use the appropriate lever to select the desired gear • Security information.

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Involving Stakeholders Partners have proved in their pilot projects that involving relevant stakeholders, and in some cases also the local community, will foster a successful, efficient and smooth implementation of measures undertaken to introduce alternative vehicle technologies and services to promote intermodal and sustainable mobility. The 8 step procedure outlined below is designed to establish a cooperative “Local Implementation Network” (LIN) and lead proponents of change from joint analysis to joint action: 1st step “identify partners”: The main actor has to carry out an analysis of the complete local situation regarding public bodies, private enterprises, social and environmental movements, as well as other organisations and associations that are affected by and/or can affect the foreseen transformation of (parts of) the transport system.

2nd step “set-up a regional advisory board”: The main actor establishes an advisory board with all stakeholders identified in the first step. This group will create the rules of cooperation as well as accompany and support joint projects. These joint projects have the following roles: generating innovative ideas for the project; “opening doors” for research and sub-projects; supporting public relation for the project; establishing financial support models; disseminating and multiplying results; and acting as ambassadors for innovation in a region.

3rd step “define the challenge”: Each of the involved bodies may have a critical role in the transformation of the transport system within a region. It is therefore important that all partners are involved in analysing the existing situation, including the identification of existing problems.

Without good communication of the project goals and a common sense of understanding it is possible that partners may end up working at cross-purposes.

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4th step “set-up working groups”: The linkages between the partners need to be institutionalised into working groups (although it is not necessary that all organisations participate in this step) in order to allow productive long-term cooperation on the basis of mutual trust and to enable all involved bodies to identify their role.

5th step “define measures”: The early involvement of various stakeholders and even potential critics of the proposed measures allow all possible risks and constraints to be taken into consideration within the planning process. Opportunities also need to be taken into consideration, and a thorough analysis of both leads to a solid foundation for the newly introduced transport technology and/or service, as well as to its optimal integration into the existing multimodal transport system.

6th step “jointly implement”: Jointly implementing and possibly even financing the introduction of a new transport technology and/or service does not only strengthen the project technically and financially, it also guarantees that the measure will be more broadly disseminated, accepted and positively seen by the public at large.

7th step “maintain and expand”: After they have been established, the newly implemented measures need to be maintained. The multisectoral group of actors responsible for establishing the project need to safeguard the continuation and expansion of the project even under changing conditions, such as when a political leader or other driving force behind the project are replaced.

It may be appropriate to establish an advisory board for this purpose.

8th step “spread the good practice”: The innovation process promoted by the participative planning group does not stop at the local level. Similar processes of innovation in neighbouring communities and the surrounding region should also be triggered and transnational networking can be mutually beneficial to all involved by making each achievement more visible, and by allowing each to learn from the experiences and know-how of other innovative actors.

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Example of a participative planning process with a Local Implementation Network (LIN) 1st step: October 2008: in order to establish a LIN-network for the Alpine Space projects CO2NeuTrAlp and AlpEnergy in the Allgäu region, stakeholders and experts in the field of energy and mobility were invited by regional power supplier AÜW to share information about the challenges involved in implementing the projects.

2nd step: The participants of the first LIN-meeting agreed to establish a regional advisory board that meets regularly (2x per year). The members of the board are continuously informed about the current status of the project, present new ideas for further action, and disseminate the results through their own networks.

3rd step: The advisory board receives information about the aims of the project CO2NeuTrAlp, and sets targets such as increasing the number of electric vehicles in the region as quickly as possible, which will also incidentally increase public acceptance of e-mobility.

4th step: Some actors from the advisory board work actively within the implementation of the project, for example in a pedelec-rental-system (AÜW and the town of Sonthofen bought 5 pedelecs each and promote their use amongst all potential actors in the region). These working-groups organise their activities through separate working-meetings, phone calls, etc.

5th step: Within the working groups there were defined roles and duties; e.g. who will rent the first pedelecs?; who is responsible for maintenance?; who will provide the pedelec-return on weekends (there is a higher demand on weekends than on working days); who gathers information on insurance law?

6th step: In the case of the challenge “pedelec-rental-system” during the “testing season” of 2009 the following pragmatic cooperation emerged: ‘AÜW’ and the town of Sonthofen bought and financed 5 pedelecs each. In Sonthofen the pedelecs could be rented at the tourist information centre. In Kempten there was a cooperation with a pragmatic hotelier who rented the pedelecs out. For public events or fairs, employees of AÜW and the town of Sonthofen manned information desks were visitors had the opportunity to test the pedelecs.

7th step: The experiences of the working group during the first summer (2009) were presented to the advisory board in the autumn session. Problems were highlighted, opportunities for the region were identified, and potential partners for the 2010 season were presented. The local advisory board voted on the partner for widespread implementation in 2010. The contract was awarded to Movelo who already had experience with pedelec-rentalsystems in other regions.

8th step: The pedelec-rental-system in Allgäu, started in 2010, with 200 bikes in more than 100 rental stations.

Now, in 2011, there are more than 300 pedelecs operating all over the region. The insight gained through the experience was disseminated within all networks of the members of the advisory board, which continues to meet twice a year (including the network of CO2NeuTrAlp-project).

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Creating a favourable framework A real breakthrough of alternative propulsion systems and the respective vehicle products on the market can only be achieved if the existing obstacles and deficiencies are thoroughly analysed and addressed in a joint effort by national governments, industry and potential user groups. Political goals such as state and European targets for introducing alternative propulsion systems and the respective renewable energy sources need to be backed by effective measures which promote them.

Once the political framework exists and sufficient user acceptance is reached, industry can explore all possibilities to benefit from new technologies that are likely to become popularised within a relatively short period of time. As the technological shift towards alternative propulsion systems demands large investments in research and development as well as in production facilities, the security provided by effective promotional measures is of the utmost importance to any investor. The following topics are critical for a favourable framework for sustainable mobility:

Clear political targets Many countries seem to be caught in a trap were the political decision making process has acknowledged the general necessity to act towards a shift in the transport sector from fossil to renewable energies, and from conventional to alternative propulsion technologies. However there is a lack of understanding that, even though this technological shift will most probably take decades, decisive action needs to be undertaken immediately in order to set the framework conditions for future change.

Therefore, political decision makers at all levels are called to launch a wider democratic debate involving all relevant stakeholders and civil society at large, aiming to define clear and reliable political targets for the future.

Taxation fostering investments in sustainable transport Fleet managers, private consumers and public authorities usually have to act in a framework of economic constraints. Prices, however, do not always develop according to free market rules. Taxation often doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t reflect the real costs of a technology, and therefore may present a technology as economically favourable although it causes harmful effects to the environment and society at large. Therefore, it is of vital importance that political decision makers adapt taxation patterns so that they trigger a shift towards the use of renewable energies and more energy-efficient propulsion technologies in transport.

Ideally, taxation should contribute to the alleviation of the negative effects of the fluctuations in the price of fossil fuels. Currently vast sections of the transport sector and the economy at large still depend on

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fossil energy. Fluctuation in the fuel price over the past years has shown that speculation, political crises and other unpredictable incidents can cause energy prices to rocket within a matter of days. Abrupt increases in fuel prices cause considerable harm to national economies and can even provoke major world economic crises, as was the case in 2009. Experts agree that, in the long run, fossil energy prices will rise due to increasing world energy demand and decreasing oil production (the ‘peak oil’ phenomenon). Therefore, governments should join efforts to develop a variable fuel taxation system that levels out the volatile price increase in order to smooth out the dangerous fever curve and to convert it into a predictable, linear rise. Such a measure would ensure that investments by private citizens in a new vehicle or by automotive manufacturer in new production facilities for alternative propulsion systems (which are likely to be worth billions of Euros) will pay off in the future - calculating that fuel prices will increase smoothly but constantly, doubling within a predictable period of time.

Technical standards Existing efforts at the EU level to define technical standards for plugs and communication protocols should be intensified. Before a deeper market penetration of certain plugs, vehicles and infrastructure has occurred, standardisation requirements should be agreed upon for the European market.

Such measures will not only enhance user friendliness for cross-border travel, but will also facilitate a reduction in manufacturing costs due to a bigger and more homogeneous EU-wide market. Moreover, it can be expected that even countries in other parts of the world will adopt EU standards for their national markets.

Smart grid technology will make sure that vehicle users can recharge their batteries using any commercial or private plug, and that the plug will identify the client and charge the energy costs to the right user (plug roaming). This vehicle-to-grid communication technology has the added benefit of tracing vehicles, thereby inhibiting car theft. Battery charging patterns and the programming of charging posts need to be harmonised in order to safeguard optimal battery performance.

Battery swap systems only make sense when vehicles have to run several hundred kilometres per day (e.g. taxis) and if they are simple and able to serve any type of vehicle. Standardisation requirements, however, would pose considerable constraints on vehicle manufacturers regarding battery placement and size. Last but not least, the basic handling of electric vehicles should be further simplified and standardised in order to enable users to change vehicles more easily when participating in car-pooling initiatives or car-to-go concepts which are expected to gain importance in the future.

For further information on creating favourable framework conditions for promoting alternative transport technologies see the CO2NeuTrAlp “Guidelines for Decision Makers”.

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Imprint Guidelines for Transport Professionals, 1st Edition, August 2011 Published by: B.A.U.M. Consult GmbH Gotzinger Straße 48/50, 81371 Munich, Germany www.baumgroup.de Authors and Editors: Prof. Dr. Rainer Rothfuss, Vivien Führ and Anja Lehmann with the support of the entire CO2NeuTrAlp partnership Pictures: istock (p.8 right, p. 9 right, p.10 right, p.17 left, p.22, p.23, graph on p.25, photomontages p.26 and p.28, p.33 left, p.35, graph on p.36, p.39, p.41. p.46, p.47); Fotolia (p. 21); Harry Schiffer (p. 34); Pressedienst Fahrrad/ www.flyer.ch (p. 27 left) Partners (p.1, p.3, p.7, p. 8 left, p.9 left, p.10 right, p.11, p.12, p.13, p.14, p.15, p.16, p.17 right, p. 18, p.19, p.27 right, p.30, p.33 right, p.42, p.43, p.44, p.45) Conception & Design Forschungsgesellschaft Mobilität - Austrian Mobility Research, FGM-AMOR; www.fgm.at Download: The brochure can be downloaded from www.co2neutralp.eu.

Copyright © B.A.U.M. Consult GmbH, München, Germany, 2011 Copies of these guidelines – also of extracts thereof –may only be made with the permission of and with reference to the publisher and if a sample copy is provided.

Acknowledgements and legal disclaimer: These guidelines have been produced as part of the CO2NeuTrAlp project, supported by the Alpine Space Programme of the European Territorial Cooperation and co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund, project no. 10-1-2-D. The sole responsibility for the content of this publication lies with the authors. It does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the European Communities, the ETC-ASP Managing Authority, the ETC-ASP Joint Secretariat, or the Land Salzburg. None of these authorities and institutions is responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.

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www.co2neutralp.eu

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THE PROJECT IS CO-FUNDED BY THE EUROPEAN REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT FUND