The project background
The ambition of the public transport sector in Oslo and Akershus is to use only renewable energy in 2020. This calls for wide-ranging changes to the bus fleet and to ferries in the region. Ruter’s aim is to introduce the most effective long-term solutions as quickly as possible.
Environmental objectives
Working to improve the natural environment is fundamental to Ruter’s business. Ruter’s owners, the City of Oslo and Akershus County Council, have set two important objectives for public transport in the future. The first is that increased traffic shall be solved by public transport, and the second is to only use renewable energy sources.
Among other things, Ruter’s environmental strategy for the period 2014-2020 establishes that:
- In 2020, all public transport shall use renewable energy sources.
- Increased use of biogas.
- Ruter will test electric buses and ferries.
Fossil Free 2020
By means of the project Fossil Free 2020 Ruter plans to achieve the goal of powering all public transport using renewable energy sources in 2020. Ruter has chosen not to limit itself to individual technologies, but to monitor and stimulate developments in this rapidly expanding market.
Major advances
Ruter wishes to contribute to speed up commercialisation and adoption of zero-emission solutions for public transport both in Norway and in Europe. This will result in a reduction in environmental impact, less noise and higher energy efficiency in public transport. Ruter’s goal is for public transport to continue to be the most environmentally sound choice, even when in emissions from private cars become low. In our view, becoming fossil fuel free will result in better public transport services in the region, with innovative solutions and reliable, comfortable and quiet vehicles.