Infrastructure investment

Country / jurisdiction: Sweden · Year: 2011 · Status: In force · Level: National · Type: Voluntary

In its plan for 2011 2014, the Swedish Transport Administration (including previously separate Swedish Board for Road Administration) aims at making the total energy usage of roads and railways more efficient. According to some estimates, 10 % of energy use in the transport sector originates from construction, maintenance, and operation of infrastructure. Measures include the choice and production of materials, and methods of construction. It also involves design and choices of speed limits. With a long-term perspective, the Swedish Transport Administration assumes it can influence the energy consumption of future transport systems at the planning, design or construction stage.

The Transport Administration has introduced energy efficiency as a focal area in its activities. The purpose is to find new measures for energy efficiency in investment projects which can be assumed to be disseminated. All subcontractors are encouraged to suggest more energy efficient methods for building roads and railways.

For several years, the Transport Administration has worked with a lighting strategy by switching off unnecessary lighting, introducing more energy efficient equipment, and by removing lighting from roads to bicycle and pedestrian paths.

Moreover, the operation and maintenance of infrastructure requires considerable amounts of energy, in the form of both fuel and electricity. The Swedish Transport Administration also develops energy procurement requirements and follow-ups on contractors and fuel use in various operational areas. Lighting and tunnel fans will be placed optimally and be fitted with timers. Climate-conscious road traffic management can also make a contribution. Service and maintenance must also be optimized to reduce the amount of energy consumed by transport and business.

In addition to these measures, eco-driving has been introduced on road ferries (e.g. cable ferries where appropriate), while energy efficiency is highlighted on airport services and harbors, e.g. lighthouses have been equipped with energy efficient lamps.

In rail transportation there is also significant scope for improvement. The Transport Administration estimates thanks to a pilot project in 2013 in the railway yard of city of östersund, that installation of new switch equipment may save up to 50 % of energy used. This would imply a potential of 74 GWh in total in Sweden.

Official source: https://www.trafikverket.se/resa-och-trafik/forskning-och-innovation/