Finnish Ministry of Transport launched proposal including use of alternative fuels

The background of the work is EU objective to reduce, through a wide range of measures, greenhouse gas emissions by 80-95 percent by 2050 compared to 1990 level. Currently, oil is the main source of energy for transportation, and without significant measures its share will increase. In addition to the emission objectives, the aim was to look for ways to reduce the cost of transition to new green fuels and to find new opportunities for businesses, said the Minister of Transport Merja Kyllönen.

For the working group, the share of sustainable biofuels, liquid or gaseous, in heavy traffic should be at least 70 percent in 2050. Moreover, in maritime shipping, 40-50 percent of the emission cuts should be implemented by alternative fuels and by improving energy efficiency. In this regard, the document supports the objectives of a maritime LNG operational program recently published.

The proposal also takes into account that there are significant differences in the deployment of alternatives. For example, liquid biofuels, natural gas and biomethane are already available, but electric vehicles are still new on the market. In turn, the use of hydrogen as a fuel is still in a more distant future.

Source: Finnish Ministry of Transport and Communications