Green Highway Magazine

sundsvall • östersund • Trondheim – A DEVELOPMENT ZONE FOR FUTURE TRANSPORT | www.greenhighway.nu

GREEN HIGHWAY magazinE

SWEDEN/NORWAY

Biogas

2012/2013

>>

Test Arena

GREEN HIGHWAY magaZinE

This magazine is about a partnership between the municipalities of Sundsvall, Östersund and ­Trondheim.

This partnership stretches 450 km, cutting through three regions and two countries, from Sundsvall to Trondheim – the Green Highway.

The EU and the Swedish and Norwegian governments have all formulated ambitious and challenging targets relating to reducing the environmental impact of transport. This could entail problems and ­obstacles, but we choose to see it as an opportunity - an opportunity for regional development and growth for our businesses, and an opportunity to improve the environment for the people who live and work in our regions, as well as for our visitors. Green Highway has also been highlighted as a prioritised route for electric vehicles by the infrastructure ministers of Sweden and Norway, which makes it easier to take on the challenge of creating a fossil-fuel-free transport corridor from coast to coast.

Read about the work behind this, our important, innovative partners and the stakeholders who are contributing to helping us achieve our aim – reducing dependence on fossil fuels and creating the right conditions for transport based on renewable energy. And who knows – perhaps you will be our next partner on the Green Highway?

AnnSofie Andersson

Rita Ottervik

Magnus Sjödin

Municipal Commissioner, Östersund

Municipal Commissioner, Trondheim

Municipal Commissioner, Sundsvall

CONTENTS

Why we need the Green Highway 3 | Downloaded 6 | Smart charging 8 Tough tests in Östersund 10 | Sundsvall invests in electric cars 14 | Salmon power 16 Biogas buses 17 | New biogas plant 18 | Downloaded 19 | Electric taxis in Trondheim 20 Electric vehicles for home care services 21 | “We’re aiming to be carbon positive” 22 The final straight 24 PUBLISHED BY: GREEN HIGHWAY PRODUCTION: Editor – Janna Thalén; Design – Syre; Printing – Berndtssons.com 2012.

WRITERS: Elisabet Aagård, Helena Bredberg, Janna Thalén.

PHOTOS/ILLUSTRATIONS: Tommy Andersson, Anders Ericsson/Jämtkraft, Gösta Fries, Helene Gedda, Hampus Lundgren/DN /Scanpix, IstockPhoto, Sandra Lee Pettersson, Kristian Pohl.

Do you want to know more about Green Highway? Read Green Highway’s newsletter.

Register on www.greenhighway.nu.

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EUROPEAN UNION European regional development fund

Green >> Highway SHOWS THE WAY Despite climate change standing high on the global agenda, the majority of the transport sector is still dependent on fossil fuels. The E14 between Sundsvall in Sweden and Trondheim in Norway is the longest route in the world to be adapted to electric vehicles and has taken an important step on the way to becoming a fossil-fuel-free transport corridor.

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Trondheim

Östersund Sundsvall

NORWAY Sweden

Green Highway is the world’s longest stretch of road adapted for electric vehicles, with nine charging stations along the E14, about thirty charging stations in Östersund and several hundred charging stations in Trondheim.

There are now eight rapid charging stations in the region: in Östersund, Meråker, Trondheim and Åsarna.

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Trondheim) has been named as one of two national test routes for enabling electric vehicles to drive between Sweden and Norway. Other important areas are the production of biogas, where Green Highway stimulates the biogas process through the municipalities buying biogas vehicles.

Green Highway also organises information efforts to support investments such as the biogas plant in Trondheim, which is scheduled to open in 2013, and the planned plant in Sundsvall.

Even if Green Highway’s outside appearance is often linked with a stretch of road, it really deals with a partnership between the regions of Västernorrland, Jämtland and Tröndelag, across a national border. Disseminating information, participating in a range of processes and acting as a network hub, Green Highway is helping to create the right conditions for a renewable and energy efficient transport corridor. And Anne Sörensson is looking for more stakeholders to invest in becoming fossil-fuel-free: “We are happy to publicise companies as good examples and to loan out our brand in order to give them a boost in choosing to be fossil-fuel-free and energy efficient. The more of us that work on this issue, the greater our chance of achieving our aims. Just imagine if it were to be like domestic heating, that we can become fossil-fuel-free in this region, that we had a city with low noise levels and cleaner air,” concludes Anne Sörensson.

Text: Janna Thalén

Gösta fries

>>

OIL ADDICTION IS HUGE. More than 90 per cent of all air, rail and road transports are powered by fossil fuels. From a climate perspective, the transport sector is an enormous challenge; when it comes to domestic heating there has been a faster conversion to renewable energy. Previously, most households had oil-powered heating, at least in Jämtland, but this has now been replaced by district heating that comes from renewable sources of energy or other renewable options. Now it’s the transport sector’s turn, with investments such as Green Highway being of great significance.

Green Highway is a partnership between Sundsvall, Östersund and Trondheim, along with the main power companies in each region. The aim is to create a fossil-fuel-free transport corridor between Sundsvall and Trondheim, as well as to demonstrate that investments in green technology boost the economy and contribute to sustainable growth and reduced environmental impact. In extension, this may mean emission-free destinations that are attractive to both residents and tourists.

“While waiting for national guidelines and definitions, something we have long worked for, we are aiming for as little use of fossil fuels as possible. This now means investments in electric vehicles and fuels such as biogas and ethanol,” explains Anne Sörensson, one of the project managers at Green Highway in Östersund.

The region produces a significant proportion of renewable energy through wind power and hydropower, which means there is great potential for electric vehicles to use green electricity. The E14 (Sundsvall-

Gösta fries

Tomas Kåberger:

ASIA in focus

A FOSSIL-FUEL-FREE

vehicle FLEET Anders ericsson/jämtkraft

Now that China has invested in developing technical solutions that allow economic wealth for its population, they have also contributed to finding solutions to the world’s resource problems. China now has more wind power than any other country, they produce the most solar cells, have more solar panels per inhabitant than in Europe and the most electric vehicles per inhabitant in the world. China is also building the most efficient transport grid for moving electrical power over long distances. This large-scale industrial development has resulted in reduced costs for solutions that we have long dreamed of. China, along with some EU states, mainly Germany and Spain, has made heroic efforts to enable continued global economic development. They have paid for the development of industries that can now offer wind power and solar electricity at prices far below what was once believed possible.

It is now possible to see that the world’s poor can achieve a good standard of living, while allowing continued economic development in Europe. Bio, solar and wind power, along with efficient electric vehicles, can allow the economy to grow without the price of fossil fuels, climate change or nuclear incidents reversing the economic progress that has already been achieved.

Higher rates of coal and oil consumption drive up prices, but, a higher rate of consumption for solar and wind power reduces costs, as industrial experience produces more efficient technology and lowers production costs. Instead of a negative effect on economic growth, we can enjoy the benefits of positive feedback from increased growth as it accelerates price reductions.

Tomas Kåberger is chairman of the Japan Renewable Energy Foundation and works on strategic energy issues at Chalmers. He was DirectorGeneral of the Swedish Energy Agency from 2008 to 2011.

SOURCE: WWW.MILJOAKTUELLT.IDG.SE 9 AUG 2012

2030/50 Kristian pohl

ANNA-KARIN HATT – MINISTER FOR IT AND ENERGY

“For Sweden to become climate smart and climate neutral, the government has adopted a bold aim – by 2030 we will have a vehicle fleet that is not dependent on fossil fuels.

However, converting our vehicles is not just an aim in itself, as it is a way of facing the biggest challenge, that of reducing Sweden’s greenhouse gas emissions so that by 2050 we have no net emissions at all. We will not do this unless we convert our transport sector.”

EXCERPT FROM MILJÖAKTUELLT 4 JULY 2012 WWW. MILJOAKTUELLT.IDG.SE

It is a tough but necessary target – the government has decided that Sweden will be climate neutral by 2050. One decisive move is the enquiry titled “Fossilfri fordonsflotta - ett steg på vägen mot nettonollutsläpp av växthusgaser” (Fossil-fuel-free vehicle fleet – a step on the way to net zero emissions of greenhouse gases), which will examine possible processes processes and methods for how Sweden can achieve a fossil-fuel-free vehicle fleet by 2030.

Thomas B. Johansson, Professor of Energy Systems at Lund University, has been appointed to lead this enquiry. He states that it is a gigantic task: “In Sweden, 95 per cent of all transports run on fossil fuel, something we must change radically in just 18 years. However, it is not realistic to believe that we will be entirely fossil-fuel-free, as the majority of our vehicles are imported from countries that are not fossilfuel-free, so one important question is how to deal with that.”

The enquiry will cover everything from power provision to the vehicle fleet, infrastructure, vehicles and different transport types.

The group will also study the social-economic effects of conversion and also look at the financing of the proposed measures.

If the climate problem is to be solved, the entire world must be converted and the work that Sweden is now doing is an integrated part of this, according to Thomas B. ­Johansson, who is confident about the process: “Many people, if not all of them, who are contributing to this enquiry are very positive and emphasise how important it is that we are now taking this step.”

The enquiry will submit its conclusions on 31 October 2013.

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DOWNLOADED

JÄMTLAND

– A BIOGAS PIONEER

TESLA TAKES THE LEAD What is lighter and more gentle than driving in a Rolls Royce, with the sense of fun of a sports car and better fuel economy than a Toyota Prius? The electric Tesla Model S – named by an American motor magazine, Motor Trend, as Car of the Year 2013. According to the magazine the Tesla also has the storage space of a SUV and is among the fastest cars to be produced in the US. It is the first time in the contest’s 64-year history that it has been won by a car that is not powered by a combustion engine.

“A truly remarkable car” according to Motor Trend.

ELECTRICITY VS FOSSIL FUEL If you compare your experiences of driving an ­electric car with driving a traditional car, what do you think about the electric car?

Passenger comfort

Much worse

Driver comfort

Slightly worse

How it works Noise inside the car

About the same

Noise outside the car

At 10:12 on 10/12, a new fast charging station was opened in Meråker, about 80 km from ­Trondheim. The charger is the fifth fast charger in the Trondheim area.

Much better

Driving pleasure Emissions

• Answers: 82 • No. of electric vehicles, 25: 12 Peugeot I-On 8 Renault Kangoo ZE 2 Nissan Leaf 2 Vauxhall Ampera 1 Citroën C-Zero

Acceleration Heat Speed Braking

0

20

40

60

80

100%

Electric vehicle drivers’ experiences as part of the City of Östersund and J­ ämtkraft’s demonstration project for electric vehicles, with the support of the Swedish Energy Agency.

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10:12

Slightly better

Operating costs

Range Mist/moisture on the windscreen

Östersund and Boden were the first municipalities in the north of Sweden to produce biogas to be used as fuel for vehicles. In 2007 a biogas fuel station opened at Göviken’s wastewater treatment plant, and there are now around 300 vehicles in Östersund that run on biogas. The facilities in Göviken are now being rebuilt to provide better storage capacity. This will benefit biogas drivers as the higher pressure means that more gas can fit in the car’s gas tank.

“We can store the extra gas during periods when we have more sludge, which means that we will have more gas for sale over the year. We currently burn off this gas,” says Örjan Jervidal, manager of public facilities at the City of Östersund.

Still, the ceiling is being reached when it comes to biogas production. So the City of Östersund has produced a biogas strategy that describes how the municipality should work to even out the availability of and demand for vehicle gas, and how to promote the increased use of biogas in vehicles.

THE BEST MUNICIPALITY FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES The City of Östersund, in partnership with Jämtkraft, was 2011’s best municipality for electric vehicles and was runner up in 2012 according to Green Motorists.

DOWNLOADED More people want a super-green rebate Interest in super-green cars skyrocketed during the autumn. More people want to own a car with low environmental impact, max 50 grams of carbon dioxide per km; in practice this means a plugin hybrid or a purely electric car.

New models have come onto the market, which has probably contributed to the interest in the rebate. Up to September 2012, 588 cars had been sold, compared to 178 in the whole of the previous year. In 2012, the Swedish Transport Agency paid out SEK 20 million to a total of 500 new owners of super-green cars, but there are more people in the queue and the Agency has applied to the government for a further SEK 2 million. Those people who chose to purchase a super-green car in the last quarter of 2012 have had to wait until 2013 for their rebate, when the Agency hopes to receive more funding. It is estimated that SEK 80 million in super-green rebates will be paid in 2013, and SEK 100 million in 2014. The rebate is always SEK 40,000 to private persons.

Timbuktu tests his strength in the Zero Rally.

Zero rally It is 14-16 June 2012, and for the fourth year in a row what is probably the world’s biggest rally for cars powered by renewable fuel is being held – Zero Rally. The race, which is open to electric cars, hydrogen cars, charged hybrids and biofuel cars, was run along the Green Highway from Sundsvall to Trondheim.

Over two days, 56 vehicles performed a series of exercises and competitions, in reversing, auto-slalom and on-road driving, on their way to the finish line. There was a thrilling finish in Trondheim, where Mads Østberg finished 1.1 seconds ahead of second-placed Patrick Sandell. Marius Aasen finished third, just two seconds behind the winner. All three on the podium drove the Tesla Roadster, the car that has won the competition most often.

“Zero Rally is a fantastic display of the breadth of renewable fuels, and shows how rapidly we can actually convert our vehicle fleet,” says Mattias Goldmann, Green Motorists, who also participated in the competition, using an ethanolpowered, four-wheel drive Audi.

Other competitors included the Norwegian skier Björn Dählie and rapper Timbuktu. Zero Rally 2012 was organised by Zero, Green Highway, Green ­Motorists, the Swedish Automobile Sports Federation and the Norwegian ­Automobile Sports Federation.

Geir Holum

WINNER BEATS RECORD

Measured by market share, Norway’s technology capital, Trondheim, is where the most electric cars are sold in Norway. The winner of the green car challenge, Witro Bil, has sold the Nissan Leaf electric car to a value of half a billion krona in 2012.

Norway is a unique country, says Geir Holum from Witro Bil. Unique in that it is so advantageous to buy an electric car. In just a few years, Norway has risen to be one of the most green car friendly nations in the world.

“Anyone who buys an electric car receives a state rebate for green cars, doesn’t need to pay VAT or a registration fee, there is a free annual charge, and so on. There is no other country with such beneficial conditions for buyers of green cars.”

Another reason that Geir Holum and his colleagues have succeeded so well is the sales staff’s enthusiasm.

“Those of us who work in the car industry need to understand that we must sell more green cars if we are to reduce carbon emissions. It is important that the auto industry takes global responsibility. For example, two weeks ago we were the first car salesroom in Europe to display an electric goods vehicle that is being launched next year.”

IF…

...all vehicles were electric vehicles, Sweden’s private cars would consume 13 TWh of energy instead of 45 TWh – a saving that is equivalent to about 10 per cent of all the power consumed in Sweden. ...all of Sweden’s 4.5 million cars were electric cars, 600 wind turbines would be enough to supply all the necessary power.

This would be equivalent to about 8 per cent of Sweden’s total power consumption.

SOURCE: SVENSK ENERGI.

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FASTER SMARTER Page 8

Forget about wall sockets. Now it’s all about intelligent charging posts that are synchronised with the technology supplied by vehicle manufacturers.

The next stage is links to the mobile telecom network and then payment systems. Life as the driver of an electric car has never been easier. Östersund has many charging stations, thanks to a progressive power company and a municipality that was quick to take green issues seriously.

Mikael Hagman, a project manager at Jämtkraft, uses one of the company’s many electric cars when he wants to show how the latest smart fast charging works. The car is almost silent, just the sound of the wheels on tarmac, as we move smoothly along the road while discussing the future of electric cars and the latest smart charging station. A solution that Mikael Hagman describes as ‘a door key to the intelligent home’.

“The power grid now allows us to keep an eye on operations and maintenance. The charging stations can be remotely operated and upgraded with modern technology,” he explains.

This also opens up for new business opportunities. It is currently free to ‘fill up’ with electricity at sponsored charging sta-

tions or at large companies that own their charging posts, but in the future it may be the case that you pay for how quickly you want to charge and that smart charging will manage both the costs and charging.

“The latest model for smart charging is connection to all types of payment and backoffice systems,” says Mikael Hagman and demonstrates how payment could be made in the future, by holding his mobile phone up to the Mode 3 charger.

Jämtkraft, along with the City of Östersund and Green Highway, were early to identify electric power as one of several alternatives to fossil fuels. In the wake of the financial crisis and after the collapse of the auto industry a couple of years ago, the ‘first generation’ charging posts were put up in collaboration with regional business. At that time it was necessary to have a cable in the car to connect to the socket on the post, but

Sandra lee pettersson

THE NEXT GENERATION OF CHARGING STATIONS IS HERE

We have invested in eight charging posts and have an electric vehicle for goods transport.

We have tried to assess our needs for electric vehicles, in dialogue with Jämtkraft, and hope to manage a first wave. It is a way of considering the needs of future customers and one aspect of the environmental work that we carry out as part of our business.

Kent Kristoffersson ICA franchise holder, ICA MAXI Östersund

much has changed since then. The automotive industry has agreed to a standard, and now there is a charging ‘glove’ on the post with a fixed cable that fits all electric cars.

Jämtkraft has also contributed to northern Europe’s first fast charging station, at Lillänge, a shopping centre just outside the centre of Östersund. It takes just 20 minutes to charge 80 per cent of the battery. Sweden’s eighth fast charger was recently unveiled in Åsarna, on the road towards the mountains (read more in the neighbouring article). Mikael Hagman believes that expanding the infrastructure is essential: “Opportunities to charge a car must be available when the consumers are ready to buy electric cars. How else can they use their new cars?”

We arrive at Jämtkraft’s head office. Mikael Hagman connects the car to the power grid and soon it’s ready to glide silently out onto Östersund’s streets again.

Text: Janna Thalén

BTEA INVESTS IN FAST CHARGING

Åsarna has the county’s second fast charging station for electric cars, strategically located for everyone who passes on their way to or from the mountains. Next to it is a charging post for slower charging of hybrid vehicles. This dual charging station is located on the E45, right outside the window to BTEA’s office; it is a power grid company with a little over 7,000 customers in three of the region’s municipalities. It was also BTEA who initiated and financed the new charging potential, at a total of SEK 270,000.

“We want to create the right conditions for electric vehicles, and this allows us to support their development. It’s in our own interest that more people use electric cars, but we also need to guarantee and deliver more power,” says Jörgen Mattsson, technical manager at BTEA. The fast charger was opened at the end of November and, for the time being, BTEA supplies the power for free “to help owners of electric vehicles”. One of the users is Jämtkraft, with which BTEA works closely.

“Jämtkraft is building wind turbines on Mullberget, in Rätan, which is in our grid area. They are using an electric vehicle in the project and have already charged it here a number of times. Now it’s possible to make a quick visit to Rätan, which wasn’t possible before,” says Jörgen Mattsson.

BTEA is also planning to invest in its own electric vehicles in the future. Primarily some form of van for the workmen, but probably a hybrid car as well. However, Jörgen Mattsson would like to see more fast chargers.

“Hopefully we can inspire Härjeån or other small power grid companies to invest in a fast charger so that it is possible to drive to the south, towards Dalarna.”

HOW IT WORKS: Different charger types • Mode 2 charging uses an ordinary socket. Safety is heightened through the use of a control unit on the charging cable and the car’s contact device.

• Mode 3 charging is currently the safest way of charging a vehicle. It requires specific equipment, both at the socket and the plug. Information is continually sent between the socket and the vehicle.

• Mode 4 charging means that the vehicle is connected to the power grid via a fast charger. CHAdeMO and Combined Charge System and two of the standards for DC charging.

Smart charging stations • AC/DC charging from 16 amps, 230 volts to 32 amps, 400 volts.

Text: Janna Thalén

• The posts have a fixed cable with the right socket for the vehicle.

• One hour’s charging (16 amps) gives a range of 20 km. At 32 amps the range is 100 km.

• The stations are online and remote controlled so that they can be remotely upgraded and maintained.

• Can be linked to all kinds of payment and back-office systems.

Fast charging stations • DC charging according to the CHAdeMo standard.

• Two different charging wattages – 20 kW and 50 kW. • It takes 20–30 minutes to charge an empty battery.

• The stations are online and remote controlled so that they can be remotely upgraded and maintained.

• Can be linked to all kinds of payment and back-office systems.

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Ă–stersund Winter City

TEST ARENA ElMacchina, the electric snowmobile designed by VTC, can be tested and verified using the Winter City Test Arena, as the system is exposed to extreme conditions, bringing lessons that will benefit other companies and branches as the development of electrical vehicles progresses.

Page 10

VTC

Test Arena

Östersund has one of Sweden’s foremost test arenas for green vehicles.

Companies from all over the country travel here to test their products in an urban environment. Everything from individual components to the entire vehicle is put to the test in the Winter City Test Arena.

WINTER CITY TEST ARENA has put Jämtland on the vehicle map. A number of specialist analytical companies work together to ensure reliability of future green vehicles. With major actors such as SAAB, Vericate, Jämtkraft and the VTC cluster, where 35 vehicle-related companies form a network with trade and industry, academia and public authorities, most aspects are well covered.

“Together, we represent significant expertise in the vehicle industry. We also work in a natural, urban winter environment.

This gives us unique conditions for testing all types of vehicles in an urban environment and a cold climate. That’s the strength of Winter City Test Arena,” says Torbjörn Bäckström, managing director of Vericate.

It now offers customised testing, verification, service, technical consultations and training in the field of electrical vehicles.

For example, there are only two EMC labs (which measure electromagnetic interference) in Sweden, one of which is at SAAB in Östersund.

“Our customers would often prefer to remain anonymous. In this industry, most things are a bit ‘secret’ whether they are military or civilian customers,” says T ­ orbjörn Bäckström.

Since the end of 2007, Vericate has conducted tests on a number of different vehicles. Testing is carried out indoors and outdoors. Driving tests in ordinary traffic, with simulated normal use, can be used to test internal and external components on lorries and buses. The engine lab is used to

measure emissions, analyse exhaust gases, test brakes and measure power in a chassis dynamometer, among other things.

“We test vehicles that will be out on the market in two years. There have been a lot of buses; on average we have two to four that are being test driven.”

TORBJÖRN BÄCKSTRÖM explains that they have worked hard to attract green vehicle manufacturers ever since they started. The most common vehicles are driven by ethanol, biogas and biodiesel, such RME, which is made from rapeseed oil. Biogas vehicles dominate test activities.

The test periods vary from a few weeks up to eighteen months. Right now, people with eagle eyes can see the biogas buses that are being test driven for Scania on the streets of Östersund.

“We drive in two or three shifts, and the aim is to blend into the surroundings as much as possible People have reacted on a few occasions, such as when they couldn’t get on a bus that stopped at a bus stop. Now we try to be clear that the buses aren’t in service,” says Torbjörn Bäckström.

“The biogas station in Göviken has been important for our infrastructure, and is vital for growth of testing activities.

“Without that station we would never have had these jobs. We work well together with the municipality, which runs the station. That can maintain even production and we’re flexible and fill up at nights,” he says.

Text: Helena Bredberg

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Test Arena A LIGHTWEIGHT THAT COULD BE A

BIG FAVOURITE

FACTS:

• Driving licence: AM (Moped, class 1).

• Number of seats: driver and two ­passengers.

• Size: 3–4 ZBees car can fit in an ordinary parking space.

• Weight: 230 kg.

• Max speed: 45 km/h.

• Power consumption: 4 kWh/100 km, approx. SEK 0.40 for 10 km.

• Range: 35 km/battery.

• Charging time: 45 min, or 60 min from an empty battery.

• Safety: 3-point seatbelt, front crumple zone, high structural energy absorption, side impact bar, rear bumper, seat attached to floor and roof.

The idea had been around for many years. Two years ago the electrical city ­vehicle, ZBee, came into being. Two are now being tested in Östersund.

ZBee

GÖRAN FOLKESSON is the managing director and one of the founders of Clean Motion, the company that has developed the vehicle.

“We chose Östersund as a test arena because we wanted to get a thorough evaluation of how the vehicle works in a cold climate, with snow and ice,” he says.

Göran Folkesson had had an idea for a light, efficient vehicle for a while. Along with a group from the automobile industry and recently graduated engineers, he took the first step and founded Clean Motion. Göran’s father, Hans Folkesson, is also part of the company. He is well-known in the automobile industry, both in Sweden and abroad, and left the industry due to concerns about climate change.

Work on developing the product has looked at a basic problem – resource wastage.

“It is a waste of power, driving in urban traffic with big vehicles, often alone in the car. It is the weight that consumes energy,” he says. Why drive around in a 1½ tonne car that weighs 18–20 times more than the benefit it brings you?”

The electrical-powered urban vehicle, ZBee, an electric urban vehicle, is now. on the streets of Östersund. During an eighteen-month test period, the municipality will be testing the vehicle in a cold climate. Vericate – one of the cornerstones in Östersund’s Winter City Test Arena – is conducting testing and service.

Another aspect was that there was no good alternative between a bicycle and a car.

“You can walk or cycle short stretches, and a bike weighs around 15 kg. The next step is a car that weighs 1500 kg. In more southerly countries they often use scooters and motorbikes, but the problem with a little two-stroke engine is the exhaust gases,” says Göran Folkesson. “This is where we think our ZBee can fill a gap on the market, as an ultra-efficient electric vehicle. We want to reduce weight further, 200 kg is our aim.”

And it’s precisely the short distances that are the most interesting; statistics show that 90 per cent of all car journeys are shorter than 50 km and 80 per cent are shorter than 15 km.

But what’s its energy consumption? Well, a ZBee uses around 40 Watt-hours per kilometre.

This can be converted and compared to 4 cl per 10 km, or 250 km per litre.

“This shows how much waste an ordinary car represents,” states Göran Folkesson.

The ZBEE is designed for urban driving. It has three wheels and is protected from the weather, but has open sides and is easy to get in and out of. Based on the environment and the speeds for which it is intended, max 45 km/hour, the ZBee is considered to have good impact properties.

“The chassis is made from a composite plastic, which is both strong and light.” The vehicle is classed as a moped, so to drive it you need to have an EU or an ordinary driving licence. We have chosen to install seat belts, so there is no requirement for helmets. There is enough room for three people and a little luggage.

Text: Helena Bredberg

Page 12

Test Arena

The EMC Lab SAAB in ÖSTERSUND has a unique EMC (electromagnetic compatibility) lab that focuses on problem solving. It is used by Swedish and international industrial customers, both military and civilian. It tests how the various parts of a system work together to achieve the best possible functionality and safety. The lab is completely screened off from external electrical disturbance, and it is used to measure and check that vehicles and other equipment comply with the requirements of a range of standards. It is unique in Sweden when it comes to military standards.

In practice, they test how much interference a system may emit and how many disruptive signals it can withstand.

Marcus Helander, section manager at the EMC lab, says that increasing numbers of green vehicles are being developed in the auto industry.

“We help with measurements. The more electronics and electrical power are used, the greater challenges in achieving an interference-free environment. There are many things that must work together. When it comes to electric vehicles, we have helped to develop and measure electrical power solutions for private cars and for larger machines that are not yet on the market. We have also produced a prototype for an electric snowmobile, which could be used for shorter trips, such as to ski lifts.”

Something that makes Saab in Östersund special, and which attracts major customers from Italy, South Africa, Asia, the US and Germany, is its problem solving – that they can fix any problems that arise and then start testing again.

“Alongside the lab we also do consultancy work, where we go in and help others to find construction solutions. We have a reputation for being good at problem solving. In general, all our work at Saab in Östersund deals with integrating solutions,” says Marcus Helander.

Text: Helena Bredberg

Vericate

& VTC WEB-BASED ELECTRIC VEHICLE TRAINING

New technology means new demands for knowledge. Those who need general knowledge of electric vehicles can now follow a web-based course that has been developed by Vericate and commissioned

by VTC and the Swedish Energy Agency.

It provides hands-on training that is aimed at both mechanics and users; in other words, those who regularly come into contact with electric and hybrid vehicles. They could be customer service staff, spare parts staff, fleet owners, car pools and public authorities.

The training was launched just before last summer and is unique. So far there has been great interest from upper-secondary schools, purchasers, municipalities and general agents. The organisers say that because the course is web-based, it is more flexible, effective, accessible and, not least, climate smart.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO KNOW MORE, PLEASE CONTACT PÄR BRINK, +46 (0)63 160 802, PAR.BRINK@VERICATE.SE

The interference-free environment of the EMC lab.

Page 13

Sundsvall CHARGES ITS BATTERIES Sundsvall Municipality has reinforced its vehicle fleet with eight electric cars. A total of 150 vehicles powered by 足electricity and biogas are now on the streets of Sundsvall.足

Page 14

Text: Janna Thalén

Four of the electric vehicles are included in the municipal car pool, which has 38 cars – of which 35 run on renewable fuel.

“In 2011, we had 9,500 bookings from 542 users. Coordination of vehicle use is one way for the municipality to reduce work transports and thus environmental impact,” says Anna From, who is responsible for the car pool.

FAST ENERGY IN TWENTY MINUTES Sandra lee pettersson

Sundsvall Municipality is aiming to reduce carbon emissions in its own transports by 90 per cent by 2020. ”The new Renault Kangoo vans will be the start of our investments in electric vehicles,” says Kent Lundström, vehicle strategist at Sundsvall Municipality.

An electric vehicle is around twice as expensive to purchase as an ordinary petroldriven vehicle. However, Sundsvall Municipality is participating in a national development project where the Swedish Energy Agency is part-financing investments in electric vehicles.

“We also rent battery packs from Renault and pay a monthly fee for assistance services and battery upgrades, which means that our operating costs are low,” explains Kent Lundström.

The new electric vehicles run only on electricity, i.e. they are not plug-in hybrids. The idea is that the electric cars will be a complement to those powered by biogas. A procurement of biogas buses is underway, as are plans to purchase more biogas cars. The aim is to replace the municipality’s 211 cars with ones powered by biogas over a five-year period, starting in 2013. The municipality’s investments in green vehicles have been highlighted

by Miljöfordonsdiagnos, which tracks municipal use of green vehicles and recently named Sundsvall as winner in the class for “the biggest change in the number of bio-vehicles”.

A fast charger every 50-70 km along the whole Green Highway. This could be what happens if the Swedish Energy Agency says yes to an application that was submitted in December, for a four-year project starting in the second quarter of 2013. The power companies of Sundsvalls Elnät and Jämtkraft, along with Sundsvall Municipality and Mid Sweden University, are behind the proposal for investments in charging infrastructure from Sundsvall to ­Trondheim.

“Offering drivers of electric vehicles the chance to drive from coast to coast, or to combine an electric car with taking the train, adds another dimension to the work on a fossil-fuel-free transport corridor,” says Göran Hamlund, development strategist at ­Sundsvalls Elnät.

An important element of these investments will be research into changing behaviours, what is necessary for consumers to dare to invest in an electric car and what influences our decisions. ­Reliability is decisive,” says Göran Hamlund.

“Currently, people don’t buy electric cars because they don’t trust that there will be charging stations. And the infrastructure isn’t being expanded because there are too few electric cars. It’s a bit chicken and egg, which we want to change.”

Göran Hamlund calls Green Highway a demonstration route.

The experience and knowledge that come in the wake of being early to adopt new technology must be put to use in other, similar projects, which the Swedish Energy Agency regards as a vital element.

“One result could be that our work results in the auto industry adopting a common standard for electric vehicles,” states Göran Hamlund.

Text: Janna Thalén

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Gösta fries

GO WITH THE FLOW – RUN ON

SALMON The new biogas plant at Skogn, in Nordtröndelag, Norway, will use waste from salmon farming to make liquid biogas. The next step is to produce gas from ­seaweed. Biogas is on the way to becoming the future of oil-rich Norway.

“We would love to be Norway’s biogas capital,” says Håvard Wollan, managing director of Biokraft AS, up in the sunshine on Trondheim’s fort. The sun is low in the sky and the view of Trondheim and the fjord is magnificent.

Biokraft AS has a biogas plant further out in Trondheim fjord, in Selva. But Håvard Wollan is expecting, any day now, that the final puzzle pieces will fall into place and he’ll get the go-ahead for a new plant at Skogn, Nordtröndelag – eventually to be the biggest of its kind in Norway.

“It will be a plant that mainly converts waste

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from salmon farming and paper manufacturing to liquid biogas. We have salmon farms along the entire coast, so it’s natural to take raw material from there,” he says.

Håvard Wollan represents an industry that has so far been pushed to one side in Norway, which he explains by Norway’s long being able to rely on its oil reserves. But investments are now being made – perhaps biogas is the future?

“It’s part of the future, at least. Biogas won’t be able to replace oil, but it is a small but important step towards moving consumption towards

Text: Elisabet Aagård

FaCTS: BIOGAS is a natural product, as any waste that can be composted can be used to make biogas. Other materials that are suitable for biogas are wastewater sludge and waste from agriculture and the food industry. The waste is decomposed in a biogas plant, and then purified to make methane gas that is used as vehicle fuel. Biogas is said not to have a net production of carbon and thus does not contribute to climate change. Natural gas, which is also used as vehicle fuel, is a gas mixture that mostly consists of methane gas and which is derived from sources on land or the sea bed.

Natural gas is a fossil fuel, which means that when it is used as a vehicle fuel it increases the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Fish waste is largely dead fish from salmon farms. The fish are preserved with formic acid before being processed. The waste is then heat treated to remove bacteria and to release the substances that the microorganisms convert to biogas. The conversion releases nitrogen and phosphorus, as well as biogas. The biogas from Skogn will probably be combined with natural gas before being used to power Trondheim’s green buses.

Gösta fries

renewable fuels. We are facing a major challenge in being able to make biogas output more efficient. In other words, getting more biogas out of the process to make it more competitive.

Another challenge, according to Håvard ­Wollan, is finding new sources of biogas. Biokraft AS and NTNU, the Norwegian University of ­S cience and Technology in Trondheim, are conducting research into the potential for using timber waste, which there is plenty of in the Green Highway area. Seaweed is another potential source.

But in Skogn, where there is already a paper mill, waste from the fish and paper industries will be refined to produce liquid biogas. Initial calculations indicate that the place could produce 12.5 million Nm³ annually. This will eventually be doubled and the liquid gas will be shipped to the green buses in the city of Trondheim.

“We have a number of interested buyers, in Bergen and Oslo for example,” says Håvard ­Wollan. “But because we are close to Trondheim it would be rewarding to supply biogas there.”

And so, the question that just has to be asked: Does biogas made from salmon guts smell of fish?

“No. Methane doesn’t smell at all, whatever it’s made from.”

TRONDHEIM’S BUSES COVERT TO BIOGAS A shared political desire for investments in the environment and a successful procurement - that’s all that’s needed to create green public transport. And as if that wasn’t enough, it won’t be too long until the buses in Trondheim convert to biogas made from salmon waste.

Once upon a time, there was a green bus. Or almost 250 of them to be exact, of which 200 run on natural gas.

Trondheim’s public transport is full of them, making it the most environmentally friendly public transport in Norway.

And even high on the list in Europe.

“The reason we have so many gas-powered buses is actually that we’ve been a bit lucky,” says Knut Aspås, director for AtB, the company that procures and administrates Trondheim’s public transport. He continues, “When procuring buses, price and quality, but especially environmental aspects, are highly valued. It came down to a company that offered diesel buses and one that could offer diesel and biogas buses at a slightly higher price. And the politicians felt that the environmental aspects were worth the price.”

Now the next conversion is coming. There are advanced plans for a new biogas plant Skogn, where the idea is it will supply biogas for the buses. Once the transition from natural gas to biogas has been made, Trondheim’s public transport will not only be among Norway’s biggest, it will also be in principle emission-free. If everything goes according to plan, Biokraft’s first delivery of biogas from the new plant will reach Trondheim’s buses at the end of 2013.

This year, there will be more than 23 million trips taken on AtB’s buses and, since 2008, the amount of people using public transport has increased by 40 per cent – a direct result of AtB’s investments in public transport.

“We have new, environmentally-friendly buses, more frequent services, new routes, bus lanes and reduced ticket prices. We have also invested in making it easy to take the bus, so tickets can be bought using a mobile phone. And we have lots of customer contact through social media,” says Knut Aspås.

Text: Elisabet Aagård

Page 17

Helene gedda

BANANAS ABOUT biogas In a collaborative project between Sundsvall and Östersund, a biogas plant is being planned at Korstaverket in Sundsvall. The pilot study is finished and now the politicians are going to have their say. If they say yes, the residents of Sundsvall and Östersund will be able to fill up with locally produced biogas in 2015.

A paper bag filled with food waste is the equivalent of enough methane to drive a car 2.5 km.

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Did you remember to put the apple core in the right bin? And yesterday’s fish stew can take you many miles. Biogas made from food waste is nothing new, but for the municipalities of Östersund and Sundsvall, which established tough targets for reducing carbon emissions from fossil fuels by 2020, a processing plant is a decisive step on the way. A pilot study, produced by the ‘Biogas i Mellannorrland’ (biogas in central northern Sweden) project, was submitted in December 2012. Sundsvall and Östersund are among those who worked on the study, and cooperated on a proposal for a biogas plant located in Sundsvall. Choosing Sundsvall for the new plant was natural, according to Bertil Carlsson, project manager of Biogas i Mellannorrland, “It has the necessary logistics for handling waste in an efficient, environmentally friendly manner, with a combi-terminal,” he explains.

The catchment area is large. Sorted food waste from the whole of central northern Sweden will be converted to biogas in the new plant, along with wastewater sludge from Tivoliverket. It is estimated that the new plant will be able to produce 4 million Nm3 annually, which is the equivalent to fuel for 4,000-5,000 cars. It turn, this means a reduction in fossil carbon emissions of 12,000 tonnes per year. The biogas plant will also be an important piece in puzzling together the neces-

sary infrastructure for biogas to be financially and practically viable as an alternative to fossil fuels.

“Interest in gas-powered vehicles is increasing.

For example, one in ten buses in Sweden now runs on biogas. Hopefully these investments will lead to more biogas stations in our region, but it is difficult to say anything about this just now as major investments are required,” says Bertil Carlsson.

BIOGAS I MELLANNORRLAND is a joint project between Sundsvall and Östersund. Other financiers include the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth and the two county administrative boards. The preliminary report was submitted to politicians in December 2012, as they will make a final decision about the plant’s future. If there is a positive decision, Bertil Carlsson hopes that the biogas plant at Korstaverket will be running by the end of 2015.

Until then, households will have to practice sorting their food waste. Building a biogas plant is extremely expensive, as it must be sturdy enough to deal with wrongly sorted materials such as glass, cutlery and other items that may slip into food waste.

“A biogas plant in southern Sweden recently had to deal with an entire football net,” says Bertil Carlsson, with no sign of surprise.

Text: Janna Thalén

DOWNLOADED Andreas Gyllenhammar HEAD OF SUSTAINABILITY AT SWECO WHAT’S HAPPENING IN GREEN TRAFFIC AROUND THE WORLD?

A FLYING START FOR AVINOR’S ENVIRONMENTAL WORK GRETHE FREMO is environmental manager at Værnes Airport. She has a tough task ahead of her if Værnes is to achieve its ambitious targets.

“We are expanding and we cannot let our emissions increase at the same rate as our traffic, we must differentiate the two curves. The main aim is to be Norway’s greenest airport by 2015,” says Grethe Fremo.

And Værnes is a good bit on the way. While the number of passengers increased by 11 per cent in 2010-2011, the airport’s emissions increased by just 0.2 per cent in the same period. The emissions per passenger have decreased by 13 per cent.

“We are working on this in a variety of ways, but reduced emissions from passengers travelling to and from the airport has made the biggest difference. Our shuttle buses have been running on biodiesel for the past year,” says Grethe Fremo.

When it comes to individual transports to Værnes, the airport also works with Green Highway through Tröndertaxi’s electric taxi project. Værnes has one of Trondheim’s fast charging stations for electric cars.

Another important part of Avinor’s and Værnes’ environmental work is making all air traffic more efficient, such as by using green take-offs and landings. Efficiency measures also include renewing the fleet. A young fleet is a green fleet, and the plan is for Norwegian air space to be trafficked by completely modern flights by 2020. Avinor is also co-financier of a project that investigates the potential in extracting and using biofuel for aviation. It is already possible to mix aviation fuel with 50 per cent biofuel.

Værnes is now one of ten European airports that are certified to the highest level of Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA), the European airport climate certification. The certification means that Værnes Airport has been able to call itself climate neutral since 2009.

There is continuing focus on fuel efficiency and alternative fuels. In Norway five per cent of all new cars sold are purely electrically-driven. Trials are being carried out with electric rails for heavy vehicles and there are interesting projects with electrical buses. However, I think the really exciting developments are within the more efficient use of existing traffic solutions. Traffic can be made more efficient in the same way that power use in buildings is now being made more efficient. Examples of this are car sharing systems such as Zipcar and Facebook groups like Skjutsgruppen. When it comes to larger systems, there is a lot happening in IT use to improve accessibility and control traffic flows. This includes optimising public transport, predicting and reducing traffic jams or directing cars to vacant parking spaces using apps.

WHICH FUELS WIL DOMINATE IN THE FUTURE? Globally, and in bigger cities, definitely electricity. In regions like the north of Sweden, a mix of ethanol, biogas and electricity.

HOW MUCH ELECTRICITY IS NECESSARY TO REPLACE FOSSSIL FUELS? If all the cars in the world now ran on electricity, it would be equivalent to 5 per cent of the world’s power use. From a production point of view, this is entirely realistic.

DIÖS CHOOSES ELECTRIC CARS As part of its sustainability work, the Diös property company started a trial in the summer of 2012, using electric cars for service and maintenance. Four Renault Kangoos were bought for service staff in Östersund. In total, Diös has 40 service vehicles that will be replaced within 3 years and, if the trial is successful, there may be more electric vehicles. Nils Nyström, the manager of administrative support, is responsible for activities.

“Our policy covers much more than how our cars are fuelled. For example, the properties’ power consumption is something that we are working to minimise, but that’s not visible in the buildings. However, electric vehicles in the city are visible evidence that we are making efforts to increase sustainability and reduce carbon emissions,” says Nils Nyström.

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ELECTRIC TAXI Gösta fries

With more than 1.2 million trips every year, Tröndertaxi is responsible for a significant amount of Trondheim’s climate impact. Now the taxi company is conducting a unique research project to find out whether electric taxis are the way forward.

Gösta fries

THE ENVIRONMENT AS COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

FACTS: • An electric taxi project has been conducted by Tröndertaxi for the last year. It is a cooperation between Tröndertaxi, Stjördal Taxi, NTE/EV Power, Transnova and Avinor. Six Nissan Leafs are included in a study of environmental gains and the economics of electric taxis.

• The study is collecting data about energy use and weather conditions, and comparing diesel-powered vehicles with electric vehicles.

• So far, the trial has shown that there must be more fast charging stations if electric taxis are to be feasible.

• The study’s final report came at the end of 2012.

Taxi driver Arne Inge Dyrdahl drives his electric car, a Nissan Leaf, through Trondheim’s rush hour.

Page 20

Meanwhile, Tröndertaxi will evaluate the financial viability of driving electric taxis, because economics is an important issue in the project. One initial problem was to get the drivers to invest in an electric car. A Nissan Leaf costs around NOK 270,000 and ­because drivers earn according to how many trips they make, and some working hours are spent charging the battery, the economics of an electric car are worse.

“I was sceptical about the project to start with, perhaps mainly because an electric car’s range is about 175 km on flat ground. But the overall image of the project meant that I dared to take part anyway,” explains Arne Inge ­Dyrdahl, proud owner of two Nissan Leafs.

Another problem was getting someone to invest in a fast charger, which is essential for an electric taxi. The solution was investment support from the Norwegian state for the taxi owners, and the fact that Transnova put up three fast chargers. The project could start.

However, there must be more fast chargers in Trondheim, at least two more. And the economics of electric cars must improve: “At the moment the drivers pay more for electricity than for diesel.”

“Tröndertaxi alone drives around 110,000 passengers out to Vaernes airport. We already coordinate many trips so that two or three customers from the same area travel to the airport together. Just imagine if we could make those trips in an electric taxi,” muses Tom Rune Arnsen.

Text: Elisabet Aagard

Gösta fries

IT COULD HAVE got off to a better start. The six electric cars in Tröndertaxi’s project were suddenly reduced to five after an unfortunate close encounter with a snow plough. But the study is still the biggest and most thorough of its kind in Norway.

“We have 75-80 per cent of the taxi market in Trondheim and compete with public transport. We have to be at the leading edge on environmental issues and take our social ­responsibility,” says Tom Rune Arnsen, marketing manager at Tröndertaxi.

The manufacturer, Nissan, in Japan, collects data on energy consumption and topography, temperature and humidity, and processes it. This data is then sent to SINTEF, one of the Nordic region’s biggest research institutes, which compiles a report.

“With the help of GPS, we have constructed fictional taxi trips with a diesel car that show the topography and energy consumption. Then we compare this to an electric car,” explains Tom Rune Arnsen.

Gro Stensrud Fjelldal and Marie Korsmo on a home visit with the “Elling” car.

ELECTRIC VEHICLES FOR HOME HELP The occupational therapists and physiotherapists in the suburb of Lerkendal, Trondheim, have a new job to do – looking after their electric cars. The only problem is that they’d like to have more!

“When we started discussing replacing our diesel car, we talked backwards and forwards, but finally decided for an electric car.”

Gro Stensrud Fjelldal is a physiotherapist in Lerkendal, Trondheim. Lerkendal’s mobile physiotherapists are the only ones in the city who use electric cars for transportation. The others have diesel cars, but the decision to only have electric cars was due to personal interests and political decisions.

“Trondheim Municipality got a pool of electric vehicles two years ago, and when we were asked to drive electric cars we said that we’d love to try,” says Marie Korsmo, who is also a physiotherapist.

The occupational therapists in the suburb have a diesel car in addition to two electric cars. They make three to four home visits to patients every day. Electric cars work well for them, even if a bit of planning is necessary. Anne-Birgit Dale says that moving around the city centre is quick: “Electric cars are very practical in Trondheim. We can use the bus lanes and have free parking at hospitals and health centres.”

Their range is around 150 km, “apart from one day last winter when it was -25°C, when it lasted for 40 km”. At lunchtime, the cars are driven into the garage for charging. They are responsible for washing the cars and booking services and wheel changes. It is the driver’s responsibility to ensure the battery is charged. But there is one problem: “We’d like to have more, as there are many of us who need to make home visits,” says Marie Korsmo.

Text: Elisabet Aagård

Page 21

ELECTRIC VEHICLE

PIONEERS

With their professional experience, Susann Persson and Thorsten Handler can state that nothing has been done: the climate issues now being discussed are the same as they were thirty years ago.

Last summer they bought an electric car and solar panels for the roof of their house in Skålan, and intend to invest in becoming carbon positive.

The car, a Nissan Leaf, is described by ­ horsten as “far more modern than conventional T cars of the equivalent size”. They use a mobile app to control the air conditioning in the summer and the heated seats in the winter, and the same technology displays the battery capacity. The petrol pump is a distant memory.

“I used to think you had to be an idealist to drive an electric car, but now that I see how other car owners stand in the cold, feeding cash into the pump, I don’t think so anymore. I often have to explain that I don’t need to fill the car up. I charge it at home or at work,” laughs Torsten.

Susann Persson is a civil engineer specialising in the environment. Her job with Jämtkraft means that she works with wind power and has lots of experience of energy issues. She says that it’s easy to get stuck in a rut and it took a conscious decision to move to an electric car.

“We are in the early days, and are learning many lessons. Knowledge of electric cars is still very limited and the issue of range always comes up. You do need to think about your driving hab-

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its, but charging isn’t a problem; there are sockets everywhere. In general, we have many means of transport in society and if you’re going far there are trains and buses.”

The first winter is approaching, but that doesn’t worry Susann and Thorsten.

“You have to reckon on a few difficulties when it’s thirty below. It uses quite a bit of power to heat the car, even if it’s well insulated, so the battery capacity drops, but the cold can be difficult for any car,” says Thorsten.

The positive driving experience has surprised them both. Susann describes the electric car as much smoother to drive than an automatic – a little like “a sewing machine”.

“There are different settings to choose from, such as eco-driving which is a little softer. Otherwise there’s only one way of doing things, and as there’s no gear box you just press the accelerator.”

The economics of it are another issue that is often raised to the detriment of electric cars. The purchase price is still higher than for a convention-

SiX

Tommy andersson

compelling reasons TO CHOOSE AN ELECTRIC CAR It the autumn of 2012, Mattias Goldman was named Sweden’s third most influential lobbyist. He runs the Gröna Bilister (Green Motorists) organisation and is very positive about Green Highway. He particularly likes the open attitude to different fuels, such as biogas.

Electrical economics, according to Mattias:

1. In Sweden and Norway, electricity has low environmental impact – this is where we should have electric cars.

2. An electric car has 90 per cent efficiency, unlike combus-

tion engines in which most of the energy – put in the tank at a high price – becomes wasted heat in the air.

3. Your “filling station” is at home in the wall socket and you can charge the car using night electricity rates to make it cheaper.

4. Electric cars cost more to buy, but the power needed to operate them is just SEK 2 per 10 km.

5. Electric cars are good advertising space for companies, advertising their attitude to sustainability issues.

6. A lithium-ion battery that is looked after properly will

al car, but it’s necessary to get a realistic perspective on the price: “Operating costs are low, below SEK 2 per 10 km. The equivalent fossil-fuel car with the same equipment is almost the same price. You also have to calculate for devaluation, which is probably greater for a conventional car than for an electric one, as there are fewer parts to break,” says Susann.

Thorsten, who also works as an engineer, but at power grid company BTEA, in Åsarna, says that there is a large surplus of electrical power in the region that should be used. Thorsten and Susann contribute to the production of electrical power via 21 solar panels on the roof of the house, with the aim of being carbon positive. They can travel about 1300 km/year for each solar panel, which adds up.

The electric vehicle adventure continues; now they are considering buying an electric quad for moving timber.

“Sometimes we wonder who’ll be the next person in the region to buy an electric car, and decide it will probably be us!”

Text: Janna Thalén

GUIDE TO ELECTRIC CARS AND CHARGING HYBRIDS

probably last longer than the car. It is a myth, left­ over from the era of lead batteries, that electric cars’ ­batteries break quickly and need replacing.

The guide includes small cars and transport vehicles, and is produced by Green Highway. It is probably the only one of its kind, and can be subscribed to. An eighth edition is on the way.

“We were missing an overview of what was on the market and wanted to make it easier for people who are interested in buying an electric car,” says Anne Sörensson, project manager for Green Highway at the City of Östersund.

The criteria for inclusion are that the vehicle can be ordered and bought on the Swedish and Norwegian markets. The summary includes information about battery type, dimensions, capacity, charging time, range and much more. The guide is found at www.greenhighway.nu

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THE FINAL STRAIGHT

Maria Wetter strand

HAMPUS LUNDGREN/DN/SCANPIX

Think back twenty years.

The fact is that I hadn’t even thought about mobile phones in 1992. Today’s teenagers think we were primitive back then. A little like I think it was primitive before there was television.

Sometimes, things change quickly.

In twenty years we will have a fossilfuel-free vehicle fleet. In forty years, preferably earlier, our carbon emissions will be zero. Road traffic will go first, that’s the decision from government and parliament. It’s morally right that a country like Sweden takes its share of the responsibility for slowing the greenhouse effect.

It feels difficult sometimes, particularly when decisions are taken here and now. Transform the vehicle fleet, swap fuel, expand the railways – everything requires practical and financial effort. But, really, we have some of the best conditions and the strongest motives to do so.

And it doesn’t need to be that difficult.

Sweden is a large, sparsely populated country. We have great potential for renewable energy in the form of sun, wind, water, and biofuel for power and fuel production. Our sparse population also makes us particularly vulnerable with uncertain access to oil. If the oil price, and thus petrol and diesel, were to suddenly rise, Sweden is among the countries that would be hardest hit. Many people are dependent on their cars. Breaking

that dependence on petrol and diesel is decisive for the Swedish countryside.

Even now, access to biofuels and charging stations for electricity is good in Sweden, compared to other countries.

We started early. The foundation is our carbon tax, which gives renewable fuels some chance of competing. In addition, politicians have boosted green cars and legislated about the fuel’s availability at petrol stations. First ethanol. Then biogas, biodiesel and electricity have come to be more established on the market. You could say that ethanol was the gateway to even better fuels. Sweden is among the best in the EU in this area.

But it’s still moving too slowly. Investing in these new vehicles might not be enough. The cars that currently exist will be around for a long time. A “conversion subsidy” could supplement the current super-green car subsidy. More investment is needed in biogas, charging posts and hybrid technology.

Technical development can happen rapidly. We’ve seen it with mobile phones and computers. The fact is that IT is now also used to replace some travel. The upcoming decades could bring massive changes in transport, from a fossil era to a renewable era. Teenagers in 2030 will probably think that petrol and diesel are as primitive as we now think it is to put letters in a post box.

DO YOU WANT TO CONTRIBUTE TO A FOSSIL-FREE FUTURE? If your company would like to converts its vehicles to run on renewable energy, or to contribute to reducing the use of fossil fuels in another way, please get in touch with us at Green Highway. It is possible to use Green Highway’s branding and be seen on Green Highway’s website, in news­ letters, etc. Please contact us: www.greenhighway.nu

Östersund – Anne Sörensson +46(0)70 600 51 31, Tomas Arvidsson +46(0)70 575 58 00 Trondheim – Björn-Ove Berthelsen +47 917 602 02, Kjell Stellander +47 916 728 82 Sundsvall – Lidia Suokko +46(0)73 271 19 47, Kristin Eriksson +46(0)70 321 42 79