Overview
On 17 January 2012 Minister of Transport Merja Kyllönen appointed a working group to explore alternative propulsion systems for the transport of the future.
The task of the group was to examine on the basis of the current modes of transport and their expected renewal rate what forms of propulsion would be possible in Finland in the future, to what extent they could be used, and on what timetable they could be adopted. In addition, the working group was to issue recommendations on what measures should be taken.
The group's vision is that passenger car traffic, rail transport and boating will be almost entirely independent of oil in 2050. Liquid and gaseous biofuels should cover at least 70 percent of the fuels used in heavy-goods transport by 2050, and electricity should have an equally large share in bus and delivery transport in urban areas. In aviation, biokerosine would replace 40 per cent of the current fuels and in shipping, the use of sustainable alternative fuels would contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 40-50 percent. Transport in airport and port terminals would be nearly emission-free as early as 2030.
To achieve the goal for private motoring, the working group proposes that an interim target be set whereby all new private cars registered in 2030 should be capable of using alternative fuels. In addition, energy-efficiency needs to improve by nearly 50 per cent from the 2013 level. As far as maritime transport is concerned, the LNG Action Plan must be implemented by as early as 2020.
On the basis of its study, the working group puts forward recommendations for measures to be implemented by 2020 and indicators for monitoring the implementation.
In the choice of practical methods and instruments, the benefits from distributed energy production to the regional economies, self-sufficiency of energy production, maintaining the operating preconditions of industry, and job creation must also be considered.
The recommendations issued by the expert group are drafted in such a way that, despite the exclusions applicable to the calculation, fossil fuels will have been replaced, by 2050, by other energy sources in the most cost-efficient way, with the greatest benefit to society.