Integrated transport and renewable energy systems

Governments worldwide aim at reducing CO2 emissions and expanding renewable energy. A key element in achieving such a goal is to use renewable energy in transport such as biofuels. However, efforts to promote single transport technologies and single fuels only represent a partial solution. No single technology can solve the problem of ever increasing CO2 emissions from transport. Transport must be integrated into energy planning, as electricity and heating. In this paper, a coherent effort to integrate transport into energy planning is proposed, using multiple means promoting sustainable transport.

It is concluded that a 100 per cent renewable energy transport system is possible but is connected to significant challenges in the path towards it. Biomass is a limited resource and it is important to avoid effecting the production. The integration of the transport with the remaining energy system is crucial as is a multi-pronged strategy. Short term solutions have to consider the long term goal. In a short term proposal for 2030 it is concluded that it is possible both to reduce CO2 emissions substantially and, at the same time, gain socio-economic benefits. Biofuels is not able to solve the problems within the transport sector but plays an important role in combination with other technologies.