co2neutralp guidelines for decision makers
DESCRIPTION
This publication is a result of the European project CO2NeuTrAlp – “CO2 Neutral Transport for the Alpine Space”. Between 2008 and 2011, a total of 15 partners from 5 countries and various sectors, among them local and provincial authorities and agencies, public utility companies, transport and city logistics companies, as well as universities and research institutions, have jointly implemented 13 pilot projects to test technologies and methodologies to promote the use of renewable energy as well as energy efficiency in transport.TRANSCRIPT
G U I D E L I N E S F O R D E C I S I O N M A K E R S 1
THE PROJECT IS CO-FUNDED BY THE EUROPEAN REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT FUND
Guidelines for decision makers
Renewable Energies in TransportLOCAL ACT ION TO PROMOTE THE SH I FT TOWARDS THE AGE OF SOLAR MOB IL I TY
CO2N
EUTR
ALP
- CO
2-NE
UTRA
L TR
ANSP
ORT
FOR
THE
ALPI
NE S
PACE
Lead
Par
tner
:
> B
.A.U
.M. C
onsu
lt M
ünch
en (D
E)
Part
ner:
> A
llgäu
Netz
Gm
bH &
Co.
KG
(DE)
> A
ustri
an M
obili
ty R
esea
rch
FGM
- A
MOR
(AT)
> C
omun
e di
Tor
ino
(IT)
> C
omun
e di
Pad
ova
(IT)
> D
olom
iti B
us S
pa (I
T)
> H
oldi
ng G
raz
(AT)
> H
elm
holtz
Zen
trum
Mün
chen
(DE)
> P
arco
Naz
iona
le C
inqu
e Te
rre
(IT)
> P
rovi
ncia
di B
ellu
no (I
T)
> P
rovi
ncia
di B
resc
ia (I
T)
> R
CL -
Dev
elop
men
t cen
tre L
itija
(SI)
> R
hôna
lpén
ergi
e En
viro
nnem
ent (
FR)
> U
nive
rsity
Boc
coni
CER
TeT
(IT)
> U
nive
rsity
of M
arib
or -
FCE
, ITS
(SI)
G U I D E L I N E S F O R D E C I S I O N M A K E R S 3
Mobility is one of our basic requirements. We want to meet family and friends. We have to go shop-
ping and to our jobs. We want to spend holidays in far away places. And our goods need safe and
efficient means of transport. So, reducing mobility is not an easy option. However, we can make our
transport systems sustainable in ecological, economical and social terms. We must overcome the
dilemma of ever increasing demands for mobility and the negative impacts of these.
The Alpine Space is a sensitive area. It depends, maybe more than other areas, on strong as well as
environmentally and climate friendly patterns of mobility. All locals and visitors must be equally able
to have their mobility needs met. But they shall be neither allowed nor encouraged to inadvertently
pollute the air. Traffic jams shall neither affect quality of life nor jeopardise economic welfare.
In CO2NeuTrAlp, project partners in 15 cities and regions set out to test new mobility patterns. They
wanted to prove – and they did! - that it is possible to maintain flexibility and quality of life whilst
preserving a lively environment in the Alps. They used vehicles with electric systems and cars with
biogenic fuels. They tested individual modes of transport as well as intermodal systems with buses,
cars and even cable ways and boat taxis. And they started to integrate electric transport and renew-
able energy power systems.
Their main finding was that changing traditional mobility patterns and using new propulsion systems
requires a great deal of cooperation and common sense. It needs open minded decision makers in
local authorities as well as visionary leaders of transport companies and energy utility companies.
And, 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 but 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 in their work processes and results. It shall
allow a broad range of public and entrepreneurial decision makers to understand their rationales of
sustainable mobility and turn them into 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. We hope that all followers will have the courage and spirit to reinvent their
transport systems and trigger a long term behavioural change.
Ludwig Karg, Executive Director of Lead Partner B.A.U.M.
Foreword
1
23
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
PPO-
Mob
ility
& W
aste
Col
lect
ion
Pays
de
Rom
ans
(FR)
E-M
obilit
y & S
umm
er To
urism
Tran
spor
t Sa
fari
Park
de
Peau
gres
(FR)
E-
Mob
ility
& W
inte
r Tou
rism
Tra
nspo
rtPi
P Vi
llard
de
Lans
(FR)
Biog
as &
Pub
lic T
rans
port
Flee
t Gr
az (A
T)
Eco-
sust
aina
ble
Boat
& L
ake
Tran
spor
tLa
go d
’Idro
(IT)
Elec
tric
Veh
icle
s fo
r City
Log
istic
sIn
terp
orto
Pad
ova
(IT)
E-M
obili
ty in
mou
ntai
n ar
eaPr
ovin
cia
di B
ellu
no a
nd D
olom
itibu
s (IT
)
E-Bi
kes
& So
lar C
harg
ing
and
Rent
al S
yste
mCo
mun
e di
Pad
ova
(IT)
E-M
obili
ty &
Veh
icle
to G
ridAl
lgäu
Netz
Gm
bH &
Co.
KG
E-M
obili
ty &
Pub
lic a
nd T
ouris
m T
rans
port
Univ
ersi
ty o
f Mar
ibor
E-M
obili
ty &
Sch
ool T
rans
port
and
Com
mut
ing
RCL
- De
velo
pmen
t Cen
tre
Litij
a
Sola
r CNG
Com
pres
sion
and
E-M
obili
tyCo
mun
e di
Tor
ino
(IT)
Alt.
Prop
ulsi
on S
yste
ms
& Ac
cess
ibili
ty in
Agr
icul
ture
and
Tou
rism
Parc
o Na
zion
ale
Cinq
ue T
erre
(IT)
15 p
artn
ers
carr
y ou
t 13
pilo
t pro
ject
s: e
lect
ricity
and
bio
fuel
s ar
e ap
plie
d in
pub
lic tr
ansp
ort,
car fl
eets
, city
logi
stic
s, to
uris
m, a
gric
ultu
re a
nd fo
r ped
elec
s.
G U I D E L I N E S F O R D E C I S I O N M A K E R S 5
Table of Contents
Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
1 Executive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
2 The Problem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Climate change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Exhaustion of fossil fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Air pollution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Traffic congestion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 External(ised) costs of traffic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
3 The Challenge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Preventing energy shortages which can adversely affect economy and life . . . . . . . . .16 Guaranteeing mobility for economic and social activities in the long run . . . . . . . . . . .16 Developing environmental and climate friendly technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Setting-up renewable energy supply systems and necessary infrastructure . . . . . . . .17 Managing technology which is hardly available and unknown to users . . . . . . . . . . . .17
4 The Opportunity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Putting a region, a city or a company on the forefront of innovation . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Creating positive image effects for the pioneers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Early adaptation to necessary future changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Strengthening regional and national economy in a future oriented sector . . . . . . . . . .19 Decreasing infrastructure costs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 Lowering external costs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
5 The Task . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Check potentials to replace fossil vehicles in local fleets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 Mobilise own funds and alternative financing opportunities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 Create favourable frame conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 Raise awareness among local user groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
6 G U I D E L I N E S F O R D E C I S I O N M A K E R S
This publication is a result of the European project CO2NeuTrAlp – “CO2 Neutral Transport for the
Alpine Space”. Between 2008 and 2011, a total of 15 partners from 5 countries and various sectors,
among them local and provincial authorities and agencies, public utility companies, transport and city
logistics companies, as well as universities and research institutions, have jointly implemented 13 pilot
projects to test technologies and methodologies to promote the use of renewable energy as well as
energy efficiency in transport. This document reflects the main lessons learned in terms of planning,
organising, financing and implementing these innovative technologies and concepts in the different
fields of transport, such as private transport, public transport, vehicle fleets, city logistics, tourism
transport, e-bike rental stations etc.
These ‘Guidelines for Decision Makers’ address the target group of public and private players who
are responsible for deciding on the technologies chosen to provide transport services within their scope
of influence, i.e. primarily public transport fleets and vehicle fleets of private companies and public
administrations:
Mayors
Transport secretaries
Directors of transport departments
Managers of public and private transport companies
Fleet managers of administrations, companies and organisations (e.g. public administrations,
private businesses, service providers, NGOs etc.)
1. Executive Summary
G U I D E L I N E S F O R D E C I S I O N M A K E R S 7
The technological shift within the transport sector which modern societies will have to face in the com-
ing decades brings many unsolved challenges. Mutual learning, exchange of experience and develop-
ment of solutions will be the key to a swift and smooth transition in the transport sector. Therefore, there
is another set of “Guidelines for Technicians” who are responsible for planning and implementing
the necessary measures. Those guidelines provide technical experience and knowledge generated in
this pioneer project.
There is a whole set of arguments which encourage public as well as private decision makers to
become active in the field of renewable energy and energy efficiency in transport as pioneering
forerunners:
Citizens and consumers expect sustainable, future-oriented and responsible actions from
political leaders and successful entrepreneurs.
Environmental and climate protection have become common concern for society as a whole
and demand that decisive action is taken to achieve the jointly established goals.
In the light of declining fossil fuels, oil and gas as well as uranium reserves, energy security
has become a major issue with regards to safeguarding a smooth functioning of our transport-
dependent economy and society. This challenge increases with growing political instability in
oil producing countries around the world.
To promote the development and application of transport technologies based on renewable
energy and energy efficiency means fostering the competitiveness of a future-oriented and
innovative economic sector, guaranteeing long-term growth perspectives for the respective
cities and regions in a rapidly changing world.
8 G U I D E L I N E S F O R D E C I S I O N M A K E R S
The increased use of local resources of renewable energy helps to strengthen small-scale
economic circuits from which local and regional economies benefit.
Instead of losing regional purchasing power due to fossil energy imports, expenses for energy
supply will create regional income and hence economic as well as job growth.
As renewable energy can best be produced in dispersed and decentralised small-sized installa-
tions all over the country, there is a unique chance to promote the economic development of
rural areas which have been economically destabilised through modernisation, industrialisation
and globalisation over the past decades.
Avoiding unnecessary traffic through mobility management and making the remaining transport
“green” by means of renewable energy and energy efficiency will lead to an increase in the quality
of live and environment in cities and regions. An attractive location will always benefit from in-
creased private investments, economic growth and satisfied citizens as well as visitors.
In different chapters these ‘Guidelines for Decision Makers’ lead the reader along a logical chain be-
ginning with ‘the problem’ of present unsustainable transport systems, leading on to ‘the challenge’
regarding the needed technological shift and ‘the opportunity’ this provides for regional economic
development and environmental protection and finishing with ‘the task’ which decision makers and
their institutions have to tackle in order to overcome the challenges of future mobility during the dec-
ades to come.
G U I D E L I N E S F O R D E C I S I O N M A K E R S 9
2. The Problem
Climate changeClimate change is recognised as one of the major challenges mankind will face during the 21st
century. The transport sector is increasingly contributing to global warming, currently with over a
quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions.
Fig. 1: Climate change: predicted change of surface temperature for the 2081-2100 period versus 1951-1980 (source: Environment Canada)
For the Alps, regional climate models forecast rising temperatures of 2.6-3.9°C until the end of the
21st century. Future temperature increase in the Alps will be particularly elevated in the high moun-
tains. Global warming will be accompanied by an increase of extreme meteorological events, such
as floods and avalanches. Higher temperatures will also lead to the degradation of the permafrost
layers, causing hazards through slope instability and landslides.
The transport sector is continuing to jeopardise the reduction goals of climate policy due to a
steady growth in mobility demand on behalf of private users, but above all by the manufacturing sector.
Efforts to reduce carbon emissions from vehicles and to promote a modal shift in passenger
and goods transport in order to increase the proportion of environmentally friendly means of transport
have not led to satisfying results so far. The robustness of the overall transport sector against any soft
steering measures suggests that further action has to be taken and that several regulatory and techno-
logical steps will have to back efforts of making both Europe as a whole and local and regional mobility
systems more environmentally friendly.
1 0 G U I D E L I N E S F O R D E C I S I O N M A K E R S
Exhaustion of fossil fuelsSince the 1970s, oil demand exceeds the volume of newly explored oil fields. There is a heated
debate among scholars, environmental NGOs, politicians and oil suppliers about the expected year
when world oil production will start to decline unresistingly (‘peak oil’). As a matter of fact, most
of the oil producing countries have already passed the climax of their national oil sales. The widening
supply-demand gap will have to be filled by costly alternatives and by reducing the world’s oil consump-
tion. The real dimension of the challenge becomes obvious when taking into account the expected in-
crease of the world population by over a billion within the next 15 years and the growing mobility
demand which characterises the globalising world economy and above all rising giants such as China,
India, Indonesia and Brazil.
The greatest risk for any national economy and also local communities arises, however, from the
fact that the decline in oil supply will most likely not happen in a smooth downward trend leading to
a smooth, linear rise in energy prices. As the 2008 speculation bubble and the 2011 riots in North
Africa have shown, oil prices tend to rise sharply if world markets are worried. In the light of
the tremendous importance of the transport sector for all aspects of economic and social life, the
necessity of promoting the shift of our transport systems towards energy efficiency and long-term
Fig. 2: Dramatic big hazards (> US$ 500 Mil.) in the years 1980 to 2008 (source Munich RE)
45
40
35
30
25
Num
ber
Meteorological events(storm)
Hydrological events(flood)
Climatological events(extreme temperatures)
Geophysical events(earthquake, tsunami)
20
15
10
5
1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008
G U I D E L I N E S F O R D E C I S I O N M A K E R S 1 1
autonomy, making our transport systems largely independent from external energy supply,
becomes evident. Our present energy supply chains, as well as the road transport system in the EU
of which 98% depends on oil, have been developed and set-up over a period of many decades. It is
time to act now to prepare for the upcoming challenges which can be properly tackled only through
one vision: the solar age of mobility.
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
1990 2000 2010 2020 2030
Natural gas liquids
Non-conventional oil
Crude oil - yet to be developed (inc. EOR) or found
Crude oil - currently producing fields
mb/
d
Fig. 3: Widening demand-supply gap concerning worldwide crude oil demand (source: IEA 2008)
Fig. 4: Rising dependency of the EU on external oil supply (source: IEA 2008)
OECD North America 2007
20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
2030United States
China
Other Asia
OECD Europe
OECD Pacific
European Union
India
1 2 G U I D E L I N E S F O R D E C I S I O N M A K E R S
Air pollutionTrans-Alpine freight transport (more than 100 million tonnes per year), trans-Alpine passenger traffic
and intra-Alpine traffic are an enormous source of air pollutants. More than 60% of all goods are trans-
ported by trucks and more than 80% of people travel on roads. In 2009, 1.6 million heavy duty vehicles
and 9.6 million cars crossed Brenner Pass.
Fig. 5: NO2 concentrations along traffic arteries (source: Gemeente Utrecht)
The dramatically increasing trans-Alpine traffic is concentrated on a few Alpine valleys and has a
strong impact on people and ecosystems, particularly those in the vicinity of the roads. The traffic
volume in the eastern Inn valley has doubled from 1980 to 2000 and is continuing to increase. Alpine
valleys are sensitive to air pollution due to the location of emission sources on the valley ground, the
topography with channel effects and typical meteorological conditions with temperature inversions,
particularly in winter and during the night.
G U I D E L I N E S F O R D E C I S I O N M A K E R S 1 3
Traffic congestionTraffic congestion generates relatively high indirect costs for urban economies due to the loss of
time by drivers and environmental problems, mainly noise and air pollution. Ecological problems can
partly be solved through alternative propulsion systems. But besides walking, cycling and public trans-
port, only the so called “Light Electric Vehicles” (LEV) such as e-scooters, pedelecs and e-bikes, can
offer effective solutions to the increasing challenge of traffic congestion.
Fig. 6 : Inland Freight Traffic (source: Eurostat; International Transport Forum; OECD, «European Energy and Transport: trends to 2030 Update 2007», EC 2008, PRIMES; «Outlook for Global Transport and Energy Demand», TRIAS Study 2007).
Fig. 7 : Inland Passenger Traffic (source: Eurostat; International Transport Forum; OECD, «European Energy and Transport: trends to 2030 Update 2007», EC 2008, PRIMES; «Outlook for Global Transport and Energy Demand», TRIAS Study 2007).
7000
6000
5000
1000
M T
n-km
Inland Freight Traffic
4000
3000
2000
1000
0
1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050
14000
12000
10000
1000
M p
ax-k
m
Inland Passenger Traffic
8000
6000
4000
2000
0
1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050
7000
6000
5000
1000
M T
n-km
Inland Freight Traffic
4000
3000
2000
1000
0
1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050
14000
12000
10000
1000
M p
ax-k
m
Inland Passenger Traffic
8000
6000
4000
2000
0
1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050
1 4 G U I D E L I N E S F O R D E C I S I O N M A K E R S
External(ised) costs of traffic
Transport activities give rise to air pollution, noise, climate change, congestion and accidents.
The costs of these effects, the so-called external costs, are normally not borne directly by the transport
users and are therefore not taken into account when making transport decisions. External costs in the
transport sector are large (estimated at about 8 % of EU GDP) and depend heavily on the type of vehicle
and the traffic situation being considered.
1000
MtCO2
900
800
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
1990 2007
0Total
transportCars Trucks &
light vehiclesAir
(domestic)Rail Navigation
Figure 8: CO2 emissions by transport in the EU, 1990-2007
G U I D E L I N E S F O R D E C I S I O N M A K E R S 1 5
Further to these external costs, a large amount of public money is spent on car transportation including
the construction, maintenance, cleaning and lighting of streets and car parks, traffic signals, lighting,
and traffic police. These considerable costs are only partially recovered by municipal revenues, like
parking fees, tolls and fines, directly paid by the users of private vehicles. A study carried out by the
international network ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability found that local authorities across
Europe are subsidising private car use by up to EUR 250 per citizen per year. A study carried out
for the WHO showed for 1999 additional externalised health costs caused by the transport sector
amounting to way above 300 Euros per person and year for several Alpine countries.
Whereas subsidies for public transport are often subject to criticism, such hidden subsidies for motor-
ised individual transport are not perceived by the public. In most cases, these are not even known by
political decision makers since local budgets do not list income and expenditure of individual transport
- these are hidden away in different budget items. It is therefore difficult to raise awareness of the
amount of public money spent on private transport.
1 6 G U I D E L I N E S F O R D E C I S I O N M A K E R S
3. The Challenge
Preventing energy shortages which can adversely affect the economy and life
Modern societies and economic systems strongly depend on transport and mobility services. They en-
able citizens to satisfy all basic needs with regards to participating in economic, social and cultural life.
The production and distribution of goods as well as the exchange of services increasingly depends on
transport services that can only partly and in the long-term be replaced by means of telecommunication
or small-scaled economic cycles. The problem of steadily rising energy costs through resource deple-
tion and, above all, the threat of a supply crisis, combined with exploding energy costs provoked by
political instability in oil producing regions, threaten stable economic and social development within
our still strongly oil-dependent economies and societies.
Guaranteeing mobility for economic and social activities in the long run
Even though many political and economic leaders are required to primarily meet the demands of short
term electoral cycles and benefit targets , there is a need to foresee long-term threats as well and to
begin preparing adequate measure of response in a timely manner. As 98% of the road transport within
the EU is dependent on fossil fuels, the economy and society will remain vulnerable to energy supply
crises over a longer period of time. Therefore, immediate action has to be taken to initiate the nec-
essary long-term shift to energy efficient forms of transport and to an increased use of renewable
energy sources within the transport sector.
G U I D E L I N E S F O R D E C I S I O N M A K E R S 1 7
Developing environmentally and climate friendly technologies
Public transport can help to reduce negative impacts of traffic. But, as the extent to which public transport,
above all in dispersed rural areas, can help to avoid motorised individual transport will always remain limited,
the technologies on which motorised mobility relies need to be transformed in order to meet stricter en-
vironmental standards. Therefore, measures to promote the modal shift in order to reduce motorised individual
transport must be complemented by efforts to make motorised mobility independent from fossil fuels
and to overcome inefficient propulsion technologies. Whilst electric mobility today is bound to today’s power
generation mix, it opens paths to a fully carbon-free and renewable energy based mobility in the long term.
Setting-up renewable energy supply systems and necessary infrastructure
The current worldwide energy supply system on which transport services of industrialised countries de-
pends has been developed and implemented over a period of several decades. To replace current infra-
structures, technologies and supply chains with a new decentralised system based on renewable energy is
a very complex and demanding task which will constitute a major challenge for different sectors of
politics, research and business over the coming decades. As far as electric mobility is concerned, this
transition will require strong cooperation of the mobility and the energy sector to avoid dramatic threats and
costs to the power system and to integrate electric cars as storages and buffers for volatile power produc-
tion. In this upcoming technological transition process, all leading economies in the world find themselves
in direct competition for the best technological solutions and products that will be demanded in large scale
by future global markets.
Managing technology which is hardly available and unknown to users
Visionary decision makers in politics and business face the challenge of setting the right framework condi-
tions for implementing new transport technologies which demand new energy supply chains as well as
financing, management and maintenance systems. To enable such pioneers to benefit from mutual learn-
ing processes and other organisations’ experiences, the CO2NeuTrAlp partnership has grouped a variety
of partners from different Alpine countries. To prepare a municipality or company to become successful in
pioneering the new technological trends in transport, it is necessary to use every opportunity to benefit
from existing experience in order to avoid unnecessary problems and set-backs.
1 8 G U I D E L I N E S F O R D E C I S I O N M A K E R S
4. The Opportunity
Putting a region, a city or a company at the forefront of innovation
National and regional economies which missed the right time to take the right decisions will have to
intensify their struggle for ever fewer and increasingly costly energy resources. However, innovative
companies will benefit from a growing demand of future-oriented products and cities and
regions which have promoted the massive introduction of new technologies for renewable energy
production and energy-efficient transport will enjoy wealth, stability and quality of life. The positive
innovation impact can be demonstrated through the latest developments in the e-bike and pedelec
market: sales numbers in Europe are increasing by approx. 50 percent every year, specifically in some
regions which have fostered this energy-efficient and ecological form of mobility. The rural community
of Emmental, Switzerland, is vastly benefitting from production facilities which provide a swiftly growing
number of jobs in the pedelec industry.
Creating positive image effects for the pioneers
It is a known phenomenon that only pioneers benefit from outstanding image effects. Companies as
well as cities and regions can expect such a marketing impact only as long as their efforts in introducing
clean and innovative transport technologies are a noteworthy, unique achievement. A positive image
is a very important aspect for brand development and even a central location factor for innovation
centred private investment in cities and regions. Therefore, getting on board the mega-trend of
renewable energy and their use in clean transport is a must for any dynamic company or location.
G U I D E L I N E S F O R D E C I S I O N M A K E R S 1 9
Early adaptation to necessary future changes
The issue of transition from the fossil to the solar age of mobility is only a question of time. Early ad-
aptation helps to safeguard a smooth transition while a forced turn-away from fossil fuels through
supply shortages or rocketing fuel prices will cause severe disruptions in economic and social life within
economic systems which are heavily dependent on fossil resources. Considering that a full transition
of the transport sector to renewable energy supply and alternative propulsion systems will take
several decades, decision makers should make sure that at least the most vital functions of economic
and public life are safeguarded in the short-term through a good mix of existing systems and self-
sustained, autonomous energy supply from renewable sources using latest technology for generation,
storage, transmission and distribution.
Strengthening regional and national economy in a future-oriented sector
In times of globalisation, innovations are no longer a privilege of certain regions over a longer period of
time. Innovations spring up almost simultaneously in different locations and even countries in Asia have
become strong competitors for the European economy. The use of renewable energy in transport, above
all by means of electric propulsion systems, 3rd generation biofuels and biogas is widely recognised
as being a future mega-trend leading to an industrial revolution which also established industrialised
economies will have to face. Therefore, it is a crucial question of future competitiveness in a global
market of renewable energy and transport technology which will decide over a region’s future
prospect for wealth. Political and economic leaders should therefore immediately begin setting the
right framework conditions investing in the adaptation to and promotion of future-oriented technologies
in their regional crafts and industries. Such a tactical move justifies the investments and higher costs
which these technologies require until the stage of mass production has been reached.
2 0 G U I D E L I N E S F O R D E C I S I O N M A K E R S
Decreasing infrastructure costs
The transition to the ‘solar age of mobility’ must go hand in hand with efforts to reduce traffic flows by
a decentralised concentration of settlement structures and a reduced geographical scope of sup-
ply chains in production. Mobility management measures shall help to avoid unnecessary journeys and
improved offers shall promote the modal shift towards environmentally friendly means of transportation
for the remaining mobility demand. These measures will help in the long run to reduce relatively high
infrastructure costs for motorised individual transport. Only where mobility patterns require motorised
individual transport, vehicles equipped with alternative propulsion systems need to be employed and
the respective infrastructure has to be provided for. The reduction of overall costs for transport in-
frastructure such as roads, parking spaces etc. will enable municipalities and regions to cover
investment costs incurred through the promotion and deployment of alternative transport tech-
nologies and mobility management measures.
Lowering external costs
A great part of the costs of motorised individual transport are usually externalised in the form of hid-
den subsidies, e.g. for providing parking space in inner city areas far beyond the real price level of the
respective terrain, or costs through accidents which have to be borne by society at large. A modal
shift to cleaner modes of transport, as e.g. walking, cycling and public transport, will help to lower
external costs for society as a whole.
G U I D E L I N E S F O R D E C I S I O N M A K E R S 2 1
5. The Task
Check potential ways to replace fossil vehicles in local fleets
Some fleet owning municipalities and regions, like the City of Reggio Emilia in Italy, have demonstrated
that even with more expensive electric cars costs can be reduced considerably through lower
maintenance and fuel costs. If fleet vehicles are used intensively but within the usual daily range of
an electric car (between 100 and 150 km of autonomy) a transition to electric mobility is viable and
can make sense in economic terms. As experience in the pilot projects of CO2NeuTrAlp shows, this
even applies to such demanding sectors of transport as city logistics, heavy duty vehicles and public
transport. The analysis of the mobility demands within an organisation will most likely show that there
is even potential to replace some conventional cars in the fleet by e-scooters, pedelecs, or e-bikes. In
such cases the achieved cost reduction as well as environmental benefits will even be much higher.
Mobilise own funds and alternative financing opportunities
As long as the investments for alternative propulsion systems are high, investors will need creativity
to explore all possible sources of funding and potential for cost reduction to allow for a transi-
tion to clean transport technologies. Vehicles can be shared and jointly used by small companies.
Having been used as a fleet vehicle of an organisation during the day, vehicles can be inserted into a
car-pooling scheme in the evening (as practised e.g. by the public transport association of the region of
Stuttgart). Some car manufacturers allow their clients to lease the electric vehicle or even just the costly
battery. In public transport fleets, electric vehicles may also serve as an attractive carrier of publicity for
private enterprises, creating extra revenues. This also applies to the rental stations for pedelecs which
can become a source of funding by providing inner-city publicity opportunities for marketing firms. Of
course, there are also a variety of regional, national and EU programmes which provide financial support
for the implementation of innovative transport measures and new business scenarios.
Create favourable frame conditions
A holistic approach to environmentally friendly transport will also involve the issue of energy supply.
Companies and public administrations can contribute, with complementary investments, to the increase
of endogenous renewable energy production. Municipalities and regions, as has been demonstrated by
2 2 G U I D E L I N E S F O R D E C I S I O N M A K E R S
various pioneers in the Alpine Space so far, can achieve full autonomy in renewable energy supply for
all households and businesses within a relatively short period of time. This will require new measures in
balancing regional energy generation, storage, distribution and use as has been investigated in Alpine
Space project AlpEnergy (see www.alpenergy.net). Such measures to achieve energy autonomy in all
fields, including transport, will benefit not only the environment but also provide stable income and
jobs for the respective region. Public authorities can take many complementary measures to foster the
use of alternative vehicles: public charging stations in districts which do not have many possibilities
for private charging, free parking in attractive inner-city areas as well as limited access for conventional
cars and motorcycles to the city centre may be options which should be carefully and critically stud-
ied. Power suppliers, public utility companies or administrations may even set-up rotational funding
schemes to allow private investors to purchase electric or other vehicles which use endogenous renew-
able energy sources, avoiding high interest rates.
Raise awareness among local user groups
Transformation of the transport system of a city or region is a challenging task which cannot be tackled
without involving a great number of relevant stakeholders and users such as local authorities,
energy suppliers, companies, commuters, pupils, students, etc.
Therefore, the impact of any good measure will remain limited as long as no intensive communication
process is established which helps to spread knowledge and increase the motivation of all potential
partners and users to jointly implement new transport technologies within a city or region. There are
numerous options such as fairs, festivals, school projects, publicity measures, media work etc. which
can be tailored to the specific needs and possibilities of any city or region willing to take a lead on the
road to the solar age of mobility.
G U I D E L I N E S F O R D E C I S I O N M A K E R S 2 3
Imprint
Guidelines for Decision Makers, 1st Edition, June 2011
Published by:B.A.U.M. Consult GmbHGotzinger Straße 48/50, 81371 Munich, Germanywww.baumgroup.de
Authors:Prof. Dr. Rainer Rothfuss, Vivien Führ, Anja Lehmann, Ludwig Karg
Pictures:istock (p.1,7,8,14,15,16 right,18, 22); Fotolia (p. 12 right bottom, 19); Dr. Manfred Kirchner (p.12 left bottom); Partner (p. 6,16 left,20,22)
Conception & DesignForschungsgesellschaft 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, 2011Copies of these guidelines – also of extracts thereof –may only be made with the permission of and with refer-ence 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.
THE PROJECT IS CO-FUNDED BY THE EUROPEAN REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT FUND
www.co2neutralp.eu