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20 A global group 2007
7 varying conditions
Climate impact
Energy efficiency
Land use efficiency
Fuel potential
Vehicle adaptation
Fuel costs
Fuel infrastructure
Best case
Worst case
Hydrogen + Biogas
Biogas + Biodiesel
Biogas
Ethanol
Methanol
DME-Dimethylether
Synthetic diesel
Biodiesel
“With these vehicles, we have shown that
the Volvo Group is ready, that we have the
technology and the resources for carbon-diox-
ide-neutral transport, but that we cannot do it
alone,” says Leif Johansson. “We also need
large-scale production of renewable fuels and,
for it to get underway, comprehensive efforts
in research and development are necessary as
well as clear and common guidelines from
authorities in as many countries as possible.”
The Volvo Group’s premise is that this is
urgent, but at the same time, we realize that
major issues are involved that require political
decisions on many different levels and large
industrial investment. The build-up of large-
scale production and distribution of alternative
fuels will take time. Another factor that must
be taken into account include the oil price
trend. In all likelihood, it will take 15–20 years
to properly change the usage of fossil fuels.
Volvo’s own fuel analyses
With regard to carbon-dioxide-neutral trans-
port, the Volvo Group has conducted its own
analyses of which renewable fuels are the
most suitable. In the analyses, important
aspects were taken into account such as cli-
mate impact, energy effi ciency, how effectively
land is used in cultivating crops for the
respective fuels, how much of the different
fuels could potentially be made, how many
technical adjustments must be made on the
vehicle, the cost of the fuel and how easily the
fuel could be distributed.
“We know that in the foreseeable future there
will not be enough biomass or renewable fuels
to fully replace fossil fuels”, says Jan-Eric Sund-
gren. “Therefore, it is important that decisions on
production of the fuels of the future are pre-
ceded by such a qualifi ed and collective assess-
ment – if not, there is a risk that investments are
made in too many and possibly even unsuitable
alternatives, which would delay the introduction
of carbon-dioxide-neutral transport.”
Gasifi cation promising
Although there is a lack of both fi nished fuel
and biomass for the manufacture of renewable
fuels, the Volvo Group does not view carbon-
dioxide-neutral transport as a utopian dream.
One reason is the second generation of renew-
able fuels made through gasifi cation, which
provides larger volumes and more fuels from
which to choose.
“Gasifi cation is promising and can provide
signifi cantly greater yields than today’s tech-
nology. Our own history has also taught us that
much of what we once considered impossible
could be solved just a few years later. This is
true in important areas such as energy effi -
ciency and exhaust emission control. I am an
optimist and believe in a similar development
in carbon-dioxide-neutral transport,” says Leif
Johansson.
1 Well-to-wheel means that all relevant stages have been
included in the assessment: the entire process from cultiva-
tion of the raw material including fertilizer, harvesting of the
raw material, transports to the facility where the fuel is pro-
duced, production of the fuel, distribution to the pumping
station and fi nally consumption in the vehicle.
Current fuels
All renewable fuels have their own advantages
and disadvantages and, as a heavy duty vehicle
manufacturer, the Volvo Group wants to
encourage a collective assessment in the
selection of the fuels of the future. The Volvo
Group studies and evaluates all of the con-
ceivable fuels for the Group’s products.
The fuels have been assessed based on
seven criteria, which the Volvo Group consid-
ers to be the most relevant:
Climate impact1. – the emissions of
carbon dioxide for the entire “well-to-
wheel”1 chain.
Energy effi ciency2. – the total “well-to-
wheel” energy consumption.
Effi ciency of land use3. – effective utili-
zation is becoming increasingly important
to be able to satisfy increased demands
on both food and fuel production.
Fuel potential4. – the amount of fuel
that can be produced.
Vehicle adaptation5. – how technically
complicated it is to adapt the vehicle.
Fuel cost6. – the production cost from
“well to tank”.
Fuel infrastructure7. – the handling
and distribution of the fuel.