The journey to a fossil-free future
Currently almost 40 percent of PostNord’s own vehicle fleet is fossil-free. Combined with electrification, biofuels form part of the solution to achieving completely fossil-free transport.
Today a quarter of the fuel purchased is fossil-free – HVO100 is a biodiesel and the most common fuel. It reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to 90 percent compared to regular diesel. Another advantage is that HVO100 works in a diesel engine. The downside is that the production of HVO100 has other forms of negative impact on the environment. These can include contributing to rainforest deforestation due to the fact that the fuel can be extracted from palm oil. “Alternatives to HVO100, such as biogas, are now available and being developed,” says Ilmo Strömberg, Quality System Manager and Climate Lead. “The availability of sufficient biogas is a challenge for the entire industry, but development is taking place rapidly. We’re actively following the research, and hydrogen is another interesting option.
Biogas can be produced in the Nordic region using by-products from agriculture and forestry. In combination with electrification, it is a good way to spread risk in the transition to fossil-free fuels, as the most profitable option depends on policy and legislation, locally and within the EU, such as the lowered reduction obligation (the obligation placed on fuel suppliers to reduce emissions from traditional fuels such as diesel) in Sweden.
“In Norway we use biogas, as HVO100 is not permitted. Sweden has also come a long way in implementing biogas, while in Finland and Denmark, there are some vehicles running on biogas, but only on a small scale. Having several renewable solutions makes us less vulnerable, and local adaptations are important due to rules and conditions differing between the Nordic countries,” Ilmo concludes.
Ilmo Strömberg
Position: Quality System Manager and Climate Lead, PostNord Finland.
At PostNord since: 2015.