Infrastructure: helping to reduce CO2 from road transport
Intelligently designed, well-built and well maintained roads are key to further reducing road transport CO2 emissions in Europe.
The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) last week hosted the third in a series of workshops on the potential for CO2 reductions from cars and vans.
This workshop – the third of eight – brought together key stakeholders from the world of road building and infrastructure design and development, as well as representatives of road users.
The discussions explored how cleverly designed roads can shorten distances and smooth traffic flow. Stakeholders also showed how different road pavement surfaces can impact CO2 emissions and vehicle comfort and performance.
Demonstrating that infrastructure development and construction is still an evolving and adaptable field, stakeholders also highlighted new technologies that can be applied to roads to retrieve energy from vehicles using the roads, as well as alternative means of powering the traffic circulating on them.
Welcoming guests at the event, ACEA Secretary General Erik Jonnaert said, “This workshop is an exceptional opportunity to have an open and frank discussion about the contribution that roads can make to reducing CO2 emissions from road transport. Today we have seen that a range of solutions are available, but also that there is a need for adequate investment in maintenance in order to ensure that the infrastructure we already have is fit for purpose.”
This passenger car and light commercial vehicle initiative is matched by a set of roundtables that ACEA is already hosting to establish a comprehensive approach to reducing the CO2 impact of trucks and buses.
