The award is in recognition of their joint initiatives towards improving the carbon footprint of public transport in London.

Since the initial Volvo bus (B5 LH) were delivered, in 2009 to Arriva London as part of the Transport for London hybrid test programme, Arriva London has consistently driven the green initiative by placing orders with Volvo Bus for 202 hybrid buses in total, 162 of which were placed in 2012 and is the largest single order received by Volvo for hybrid buses.

“We are delighted and proud to be honoured by receiving the Green Award alongside our business partners at Arriva”, said Steve Dewhurst, Managing Director Volvo Bus.

The routeONE Operator Excellence Awards reward the best operators and people in the coach, bus and minibus sectors. The Green Award acknowledges environmental initiatives taken by an operator working in partnership with the supply side of the industry.

In this ranking, the world’s 2500 largest companies are assessed on the basis of their strategies and results in spheres such as business ethics, environmental consideration and social criteria, with the focus on their ability to generate long-term value. The top 300 or so companies, a category that encompasses the Volvo Group, are included in the DJSI World.

 The Volvo Group is acknowledged for the way in which it addresses the climate issue, for its work with environmental concerns at the Group’s various production plants, and for integrating environmental issues into product development. Other highlighted areas are the Volvo Group’s dedication to a healthy work environment, its corporate governance and the way it meets its commitments as per its code of ethics and anti-corruption policy.

“We see this as recognition of our long-term work to integrate CSR and sustainability issues into our strategy and our day-to-day operations. More and more companies realise there is no incompatibility between being financially successful while at the same time contributing to healthy social development,” says Malin Ripa, Director CSR.

The Dow Jones Sustainability Index ranks the world’s foremost companies in terms of their sustainability efforts. The annual review is based on analysis of the various companies’ business ethics, environmental achievements and social performance with special focus on areas such as corporate governance, risk management, brand management, climate issues, supplier and customer relations and the work environment.

The review of input data is conducted by SAM in Switzerland, and generally has considerable influence on which investments are made by funds and individuals who formulate their investment decisions based on criteria such as ethics and sustainability.

“It’s particularly gratifying that our home town of Göteborg is choosing to invest in the best environmental alternative available on the market,” said Volvo Buses President Per Carlsson at the handover of the hybrid buses at Gustav Adolfs Torg in central Göteborg.

Less environmental impact globally and locally
The fuel consumption of these hybrid buses is about 37 percent lower than that of regular diesel buses, which in turn cuts carbon dioxide emissions by the same amount. In Göteborg, a decision was also taken to run the city’s hybrid buses on biodiesel, which further reduces their climate footprint. Emissions of particulates and nitrogen oxides are half those of a conventional diesel bus.

725 hybrid buses in more than 18 countries
Since Volvo Buses started commercial production of hybrid buses two years ago, demand has increased steadily. To date 725 hybrid buses have been sold in more than 18 countries. For the 260 buses already in regular operation, their total mileage is equivalent to 200 times round the planet. In the Nordic region, the number of hybrids in operation now totals 100, including the 25 recently delivered to Göteborg.

“Our hybrid buses are a huge sales success. The experience our customers have so far as regards fuel consumption, reliability, environmental impact and passenger perception exceed even our own expectations. I’m convinced that the people of Göteborg will also appreciate their new hybrid buses,” says Per Carlsson.

Energy-efficient
Volvo’s hybrid buses feature a small diesel engine and an electric motor. The energy generated when the bus brakes is harnessed, thus helping to radically reduce fuel consumption. At bus stops, the diesel engine is switched off and the bus is propelled electrically – which means quietly and without any exhaust emissions at all.

She and her colleagues can envisage a world in which a large amount of energy comes from the sun, wind and water. They believe in more and more local variants, depending on the access to different energy sources, such as coal, natural gas or biogas. They also regard electricity as an extremely interesting alternative. There are already a number of variants of pure electric vehicles and hybrids in the Group and this trend is continuing.

Niklas Gustafsson, who is involved with social contact at Public Affairs at AB Volvo, also believes that electricity is going to play an important role in the future, especially in towns and cities. He talks about new ways of transporting goods, with terminals outside towns and cities where the goods are re-loaded from large trucks to small electric vehicles.

“The Group is participating in a number of projects of this kind. One example is Citylog, a EU project, which is being tested in collaboration with Renault Trucks in Lyon in France,” he says.

However, reducing carbon emissions is not the only requirement. Time is also going to play an important role in future developments. The new generation is not simply interested in rapid connections and a comfortable life, it is also keen to avoid spending hours sitting in traffic jams or shopping at supermarkets outside towns and cities.

“We are seeing an interesting trend in which small shops in city centres are once again on the increase. The large French food chain, Carrefour, is one example. It has stopped opening supermarkets and is instead investing in small shops in towns and cities to which it is keen for goods to be delivered by electric vehicles,” says Catharina Häggström.

So what approach should the Volvo Group adopt?

Niklas Gustafsson is convinced that collaborating with different stakeholders is one important way. 

“This is already happening, but I envisage much more clearly defined interplay between us and society in the future, where we help to resolve issues relating to transport and the infrastructure,” he says and refers to the Goup’s vision of being the world leader when it comes to sustainable transport solutions.

“Everything that has been mentioned is part of being sustainable. By improving transport, providing effective vehicles and finding alternative fuels, we are contributing to society’s social and economic development, while safeguarding the environment at the same time,” he says.

“I know the passion and enthusiasm all our engineers throughout the Group have for their work, and it is a great pleasure for me to be able to honour two of them for the development of OptiShift”, says Olof Persson.

To the customer, OptiShift offers an improvement of up to 15 percent in fuel economy while reducing wear and tear on the powertrain, delivering lower operating costs. Gear changing is also smoother, making the operator’s working environment more comfortable. Other advantages include faster acceleration, improved hill climbing and shorter operating cycle times. OptiShift was introduced as a standard feature on the company’s bigger models in 2011.

“In collaboration with their colleagues, the winners have made a pioneering breakthrough by applying high-quality engineering expertise. OptiShift will bring significant benefits to our customers while reducing the impact on our environment,” says Olof Persson.

In technical terms, the system consists of two functions. When a wheel loader carries a load over longer transport distances, a lock-up function can reduce the engine revs. With OptiShift, the lock-up function is used during a larger part of the work cycle, which saves fuel. 

When the operator wishes to change direction OptiShift senses the loader’s speed, direction and accelerator position, and brakes the machine by applying the service brakes automatically. This results in faster loading cycles, reduced load on the powertrain, smoother changes in direction and lower fuel consumption.

More information about Optishift.

The Volvo-built hybrid currently holds speed records in the standing 500 meter (one-third mile), standing kilometer (two-thirds mile) and flying kilometer – international speed standards.*

“Technology and innovation are at the core of our business,” said Ron Huibers, president, Volvo Trucks North American Sales & Marketing. “Mean Green is a prime example of Volvo’s technical capabilities and our continued focus on emerging technologies. Our engineers developed the world’s fastest hybrid truck utilizing the same Volvo hybrid drive system powering hundreds of Volvo buses throughout the world, including London’s double-decker buses.”

In building the Mean Green, which was revealed by Volvo Trucks today at the Mid-America Trucking Show, Volvo’s team of hybrid technology experts adapted Volvo’s hybrid driveline to the chassis requirements of a world-class truck built for speed. Engineers then outfitted Mean Green with a highly tuned Volvo D16 engine and a modified version of Volvo’s automated I-Shift gearbox, which interacts with the hybrid’s electric motor.

“The result is a lightning-speed boost from start-off without any of the customary diesel-engine delay,” said Boije Ovebrink, Mean Green’s owner and driver. “It’s like a champagne cork, but without the sound effects. For the first couple of seconds the truck just makes a slight whistle until the diesel engine, which runs on renewable liquid rosin diesel, starts delivering with explosive force.”

In total, Mean Green pumps out a massive 2,100 horsepower and nearly 5,000 lb-ft. torque – of which, 200 horsepower and 885 lb-ft. of torque come from the electric motor. Aerodynamics also plays a vital role in achieving top speed, so Volvo designers selected a North American VN cab and sculpted the optimal aerodynamic shape for the truck.

Mean Green features modified versions of the following Volvo production components:

•Volvo hybrid motor
•Volvo hybrid battery
•Volvo D16 diesel engine
•Volvo I-Shift automated manual transmission
•Volvo VN cab and frame
•Rear axle with 1.85:1 ratio
During its North American tour, Mean Green will also visit Truck World, April 19 to 21, in Toronto, and the Volvo Ocean Race, May 17 to 20, in Miami.

Read the full report here www.volvogroup.com/sustainabilityreport

Read the full report here www.volvogroup.com/sustainabilityreport

“SEP and ISO 50001 certifications are an honor and a direct reflection of the environmental commitment of our entire organization,” said Lars Blomberg, Volvo Trucks vice president and general manager of the NRV assembly plant. “These certifications required a high degree of cooperation – a total plant effort. Employees at all levels have been actively engaged throughout our entire energy reduction journey.”

New River Valley (NRV) is certified to ISO 50001 in the U.S. under the pilot American National Standards Institute (ANSI)-ASQ National Accreditation Board (ANAB) accreditation, as the first U.S manufacturer ever. It is also the first facility SEP-certified to use ISO 50001 under a new pilot ANSI-ANAB accreditation. NRV was SEP certified at a platinum level – the highest available – for improving energy performance by more than 15 percent during the three-year period after establishing an energy baseline.

These certifications will help the NRV plant further reduce its energy intensity to ultimately become carbon neutral. Established by the U.S. Department of Energy, the new SEP certification program provides a pathway for continuous energy efficiency improvements. The program is a transparent, nationally accepted system for verifying improvements in energy performance and management.

Achieving the ISO 50001 and SEP standards mark the latest milestones on NRV’s path to carbon neutrality.

The certifications come less than a year after NRV became the first of 32 major companies participating in DOE’s Better Buildings/Better Plants program, formerly the Save Energy Now LEADER Program, to fulfill its 10-year pledge to reduce the intensity of energy per unit by 25 percent. Volvo met the program’s target in one year instead of ten. While technologies like building automation systems, solar hot water heaters and infrared heaters helped drive NRV’s energy reductions, many of the energy-saving ideas have come from employees.

“Congratulations to all the NRV employees for their many contributions to help achieve these leading-edge energy certifications,” said Ron Huibers, president, Volvo Trucks North American Sales & Marketing. “The lean, energy-focused culture and total commitment to NRV’s carbon-neutral initiative is evident through the achievement of these two national certifications.”

“The tremendous energy reduction efforts at NRV have really resonated with our customers visiting the plant as well. They know their Volvo trucks are fuel efficient and they can see how that care for the environment is intertwined throughout the Volvo culture and manufacturing process,” Huibers said.

Every Volvo truck sold in North America is assembled in the U.S. at the NRV plant. 
Since introducing Volvo D11, D13 and D16 engines with SCR aftertreatment technology to meet current EPA emission standards, Volvo Trucks has continued to advance its fuel-efficiency, with near-zero regulated emissions. The Volvo VN, VHD and VAH trucks are assembled in the United States at the New River Valley Plant in Dublin, Virginia, while Volvo engines for North America are assembled in Hagerstown, Maryland.

Read more about Volvo Group energy efficient facilities around the world.

The cooperation is based on the Volvo Group’s commitment to reduce carbon-dioxide emissions by 30 million tons from construction equipment, buses and trucks manufactured through 2014. Volvo’s joint-venture company, SDLG, which manufactures construction equipment in China, will also become the first-ever Chinese company to be a member of Climate Savers.

 “By expanding the partnership with the WWF  to include our buses and construction equipment, the Volvo Group demonstrates that it is serious about continuously raising our targets in terms of reducing carbon-dioxide emissions from our products, by complying with our vision for sustainable and carbon-neutral future transportation,” says Volvo’s CEO Olof Persson.

WWF is one of the world’s largest and most respected environmental organizations, whose vision is to stop the degradation of the planet’s natural environment and build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature.  WWF’s Climate Savers program involves multinational companies in the battle to reduce carbon-dioxide emissions.

In autumn 2010, the Volvo Group became the world’s first automotive manufacturer to join Climate Savers, in an agreement whereby the Group’s truck brands committed to reduce the total amount of CO2 emitted during the lifetime of trucks manufactured and sold from 2009 to 2014, by 13 million tons, compared to trucks manufactured in 2008. This will be accomplished by launching the latest technology in fuel efficiency. 
In the next step, starting January 1, 2012, Volvo Construction Equipment and Volvo Buses will be included in the agreement. Thanks to improved fuel efficiency, the total amount of CO2 emitted by trucks, construction equipment and buses manufactured within the Volvo Group through 2014, will be reduced by more than 30 million tons, compared to vehicles manufactured in 2008. 30 million tons is the equivalent of the total carbon dioxide emitted by Sweden in a seven month period.

The agreement between Volvo and WWF applies for AB Volvo and the Volvo Group’s brands Volvo Construction Equipment, Volvo Buses, Volvo Trucks, Mack Trucks, Renault Trucks, UD Trucks and SDLG. SDLG manufactures construction equipment in China, and will be the first Chinese company ever to join Climate Savers.

“I am incredibly proud of all the skilled and committed employees worldwide, who make it possible for the Volvo Group to continuously make the progress necessary to be in the forefront of reducing carbon-dioxide emissions. By setting tough environmental targets, we contribute to sustainable development, while our products become more competitive and we reduce fuel costs for our customers,” says Volvo’s CEO Olof Persson.

In addition, Volvo Buses has also committed to expand the number of field tests with plug-in hybrid buses during the commitment period. The plug-in technology has excellent fuel-savings potential for city buses.
During the development of fuel-saving technology, Volvo Construction Equipment will prepare a new prototype with additionally improved fuel performance, compared with existing models.  

The agreement between Volvo and WWF also states that:
• Volvo will develop a new truck prototype with 20% lower fuel consumption than a corresponding truck manufactured in 2008. 

• Prior to 2014, Volvo will offer the commercial market trucks that operate on renewable gas.

• The Volvo Group will also reduce CO2 emissions from its production plants by 0.2 million tons (12%) before 2014, compared with 2008.

Independent technical experts will monitor and control that the Volvo Group is complying with its commitments.

The Volvo Group works continuously to reduce carbon-dioxide emissions from products and production units, an effort that includes technologies for enhancing fuel efficiency and finding alternative fuels. Major resources are spent on developing such alternative drivelines as hybrid solutions and engines that are optimized for renewable fuels.

In 2007, the Volvo Group presented the world’s first carbon-neutral automotive plant in Ghent, Belgium, where the electricity derives from wind power. The long-term objective is to make all facilities carbon-neutral.

Follow Volvo Group and Climate Savers on Twitter

Learn more about WWF Climate Savers

To be able to anticipate the future needs of the drivers and the customers, it is important to anticipate future trends and developments in society, technology and the transport industry.

Volvo Trucks’ design tradition, based on respect for functionality, and a desire to improve everyday life are always there in the background.

“There is nearly 100 years of technological progress and development between the first truck and the Vision 2020, so direct comparisons are not possible. However, the Core Values of Volvo have not changed so you could say that our development is driven by the same vision now as then,” says Rikard Orell, Design Director, Volvo Trucks.

To stay ahead of the competition, Volvo Trucks is developing trucks that are both functional and attractive. The focus is on the driver because good trucks attract good drivers, and good drivers are vital for the transport operators.

“I believe that we appeal to both the heart and the brain. It is a good business proposition and there is a sense of pride in owning a Volvo, because it is capable as well as attractive,” Rikard Orell says.

One of the factors that will be important for the future of Volvo Trucks, from a design point of view, is excellent aerodynamic efficiency, which is directly attributed to the shape of the truck. Striving for efficiency has always been important, and will be even more so in the future. New materials, new technology and new processes will also increase the energy efficiency of trucks and affect the way they look.

“To integrate these elements into a design that clearly expresses Volvo’s Core Values and identity is going to be very interesting work,” Rikard Orell concludes.

Read more about the design heritage and future design in Volvo Trucks Calendar 2012 

A few years ago, not many people saw diesel engines as a solution for meeting increasingly strict emission standards. For a long time, diesel engines were regarded as unclean because they emitted large quantities of combustion soot. In fact, diesel engines have undergone rapid development, and their emissions have been dramatically reduced. Today, diesel is one of the most exciting and promising technologies in the race for new engine solutions in a world increasingly concerned with environmental care and resource economy. And all evidence suggests that diesel will have even more to offer in the future.
Modern particle filters have reduced soot emissions to a minimum, while nitrous oxide emissions also have decreased dramatically. But the diesel engine’s strongest future potential lies in its efficiency. The more efficient an engine is, the lower its fuel consumption and the less carbon dioxide it emits.

A hundred times cleaner in 20 years.

The fuel consumption of a diesel engine in an FH12 Volvo truck has dropped by 37 percent in the last 30 years. Diesel engines are constantly being developed, and their fuel consumption will drop a further 15 percent by 2020. A clear example of how diesel engines have been refined over the years can be seen in Volvo Trucks’ range of engines, which have become 100 times cleaner in terms of climate-altering air pollutants over the past 20 years.

As a result of increasingly strict US and European emission regulations, new solutions are required for diesel engines, combustion processes and exhaust gas aftertreatment. Already when the Euro 4 emission standards were introduced in Europe three years ago, Volvo cut emissions by developing more efficient diesel engines and through exhaust gas aftertreatment with the AdBlue additive and SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction).

Diesel engine is compatible with renewable fuels

Diesel engines are currently used in  trucks, construction machinery, buses and boats, and high-efficiency diesel engines do not need to run on diesel alone. In 2007, the Volvo Group was the world’s first automotive manufacturer to develop seven different specially modified diesel engines for trucks to demonstrate the scope for carbon-neutral transport. The seven modified truck engines can run on the following seven renewable fuels or combinations of them: biodiesel, biogas, biogas combined with biodiesel, ethanol/methanol, DME, synthetic diesel and hydrogen gas combined with biogas. All the fuels are made of renewable raw materials and do not add carbon dioxide into the atmosphere when combusted.

“A diesel engine is an extremely effective energy converter that is highly compatible with many renewable fuels, regardless of whether they’re liquid or gaseous,” says Jan-Eric Sundgren, Head of Public and Environmental Affairs. “With our knowledge of engine technology and our large volumes, we can develop engines for various renewable fuels and open up new possibilities for carbon-neutral transports.”

One might say that diesel is somewhat misunderstood and has received more than its fair share of criticism from an environmental perspective. Originally the term had nothing to do with any particular type of fuel but instead only described a particular type of engine. For instance, Rudolf Diesel, the inventor of the diesel engine, ran his first engines on peanut oil. For many people, however, the word has become synonymous with fossil diesel oil, which is a rather narrow description since the diesel engine can be run on many different fuels, some of which are renewable. The common factor is that they are ignited via compression instead of via the spark provided by a spark plug.

The reason why diesel oil has become synonymous with the diesel engine is that, over the years, that has been the most common fuel used in the diesel engine. However, as society’s demands increase and technology makes significant advances, so too are more and more alternative fuels being developed for use in the diesel engine.

“It’s important for us to work with a wide range of alternative fuels and to come up with solutions that reduce our impact on the climate. It is already possible to build efficient diesel engines that run on renewable fuels. This can be shown, not least, in our new Volvo FM MethaneDiesel and the bioDME-powered trucks on which we are now conducting field tests. This fuel has the potential for cutting carbon dioxide emissions by 95 percent,” says Lars Mårtensson, Environmental Director at Volvo Trucks.

One engine – several fuels
Anders Röj is a fuel expert at Volvo Technology. He explains that diesel fuel can actually be made from virtually any organic material just as long as it has flammable properties that make it suitable for the diesel process.
“However, some fuels require major or minor modifications of the engine and its peripheral equipment. And, unfortunately, the engine does not always function equally well on all fuels. For instance, biodiesel exhibits poorer stability and cold-weather properties than hydrocarbon-based diesel fuels. When mixed in small quantities with diesel oil, however, biodiesel functions well if its quality is acceptable in other respects.

Since there is such a wide range of alternative fuels, it is a good idea to undertake a thorough review of just what is available. Here is therefore an examination of both existing and future fuels for the diesel engine.

Fossil diesel oil
What we traditionally refer to as diesel oil is a petroleum product consisting of hydrocarbons. To produce diesel fuel, crude oil is first distilled and then refined. In this process the petroleum is filtered and purified to meet the legislative requirements and diesel standard of the particular country in which the fuel is to be sold.

The EU, for instance, has both a directive and a CEN standard* – an abbreviation that stands for European Committee for Standardization – to regulate quality requirements for diesel fuel. The USA on the other hand generally adopts the ASTM International standard. Furthermore, many countries also have their own national standards.

According to Anders Röj, fossil diesel fuel offers the best energy efficiency from initial oil extraction to combustion in the engine, known as the “well-to-wheel” perspective.
“Nature has done an excellent preliminary job with its crude oil deep down in the bowels of the earth over millions of years. And in the almost 100 years that oil refineries have been around, the technology has also undergone significant development,” he explains.

Biodiesel
FAME, Fatty Acid Methyl Esters, is the collective name for what we refer to as biodiesel. FAME can be produced from a number of different vegetable or animal oils, such as rapeseed oil (RME), soya oil (SME) and palm oil (PME). It is even possible to run a diesel engine on fuel obtained from used cooking oil or tallow, depending on where in the world the biodiesel is produced.

The advantage of FAME fuels is that they give 50-60 percent lower CO2 emissions from “well to wheel” compared with conventional diesel, and are free from sulphur and aromatics. The fuels’ downsides are that they contribute to increased emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx). Within the EU, it is no longer permitted for diesel fuel to contain more than seven percent FAME since, with a higher proportion, NOx emissions will be too high.
“Had FAME not been a bio-component we would probably be very negative to such fuels due to the NOx emissions and quality problems. Now, however, there is political pressure to use renewable fuels, and biodiesel is one of the few biofuels currently available on a commercial scale,” says Anders Röj.
Synthetic diesel
Diesel oil can also be produced synthetically through gasification of fuels such as black coal and natural gas, creating a fuel that contains a smaller proportion of aromatic hydrocarbons. There is at present no significant production of synthetic diesel, however, research is currently being conducted into energy-efficient gasification of biomass. If this project is successful synthetic diesel may become a particularly viable fuel in the future.
“Emissions of NOx and particulates from synthetic diesel are lower than from fossil diesel oil. However, the energy content per litre of fuel is somewhat lower,” Anders Röj goes on to say.

DME (Dimethyl ether)
One of the synthetic diesel fuels being examined is an ether known as DME, a carbon/hydrogen/oxygen molecular bond. At present DME is produced from natural gas, but Swedish company Chemrec is running a pilot plant for the production of BioDME in Piteå, where the raw material being used is black liquor, a high-energy by-product of paper pulp manufacture. It gives 95 percent lower carbon dioxide emissions than diesel fuel and zero emissions of soot. BioDME can also be produced from other biomass sources.
“As a diesel fuel, BioDME gives the highest energy output per unit of raw material. It offers five times the driving range per unit of cultivated arable land than biodiesel, for instance,” reveals Anders Röj.

Consequently, BioDME is one of the fuels that Volvo Trucks is focusing on for the future. The company is currently engaged in field tests in Sweden with trucks running on DME.

Methane gas
Natural gas or biogas can be used as vehicle fuel in both compressed and liquid form. It does not ignite like diesel fuel but if fossil or biodiesel is used to assist in the combustion process, it works well.

In May 2011 Volvo Trucks launched its new Volvo FM MethaneDiesel, a gas-powered truck designed for regional distribution. It is powered by up to 75 percent liquefied methane gas with the remainder consisting of diesel oil, with the diesel serving as the above-mentioned “spark plug”. With biogas in the fuel tank, CO2 emissions drop by up to 70 percent compared with a conventional diesel engine. With fossil-based gas, emissions are cut by 10 percent.

The advantages of renewable fuels for diesel engines:
- Obtained from renewable energy sources (biomass).
- Cause lower (in some cases much lower) emissions of greenhouse gases compared with fossil diesel fuel.
- Usually produce lower particle emissions; some fuels burn with virtually no soot formation (e.g. DME).
- Other regulated emissions may also be lower than for fossil diesel fuel.
*CEN standard EN 590

Using the enormous global reach of the nine-month offshore yacht race, the Keep the Oceans Clean! Project will stress the urgency of cleaning up our increasingly toxic, litter-choked seas for future generations to avoid a global environmental catastrophe. Eighty per cent of marine pollution comes from land-based activities and the Volvo Ocean Race initiative will aim to press home the responsibility all societies have to ensure that our lifestyles cease to harm the oceans. Almost everything humans throw away can find its way into the sea unless it’s disposed of properly.
In the last 60 years, marine organisms from microscopic plankton to whales and polar bears have been contaminated with man-made chemicals now embedded in the food chain. Immense damage has been caused by oil spills and run-off from land, as well as agricultural fertilizers seeping into coastlines and suffocating marine life. And then there’s our everyday domestic litter – millions of tons of it. Plastic rubbish, which breaks down very slowly, is a major problem, partly because it is often mistaken for food by marine animals. The stomachs of dead fish and birds have been found to contain plastic bags, bottles, lighters and contraceptives, among much else. In many parts of the world, including the Mediterranean, sewage flows untreated, or undertreated, into our seas.

Keep The Oceans Clean! is working with Skeleton Sea, a group of surfers and artists who use beach-trash and flotsam to create sculptures and installations with a powerful environmental message. One of the members of the group will be at each stopover as an artist in residence, leading a community beach clean and using the material gathered to create an ocean related sculpture at each port. The group has produced a hard-hitting Albatross film about the great harm being done by plastic debris in the oceans. The film will be shown at all 10 host ports within an inflatable Dome providing a hub for ocean-related activities during the race. In the 2008-2009 race, almost four million visitors passed through the race villages at the stopover ports and this time the figures are likely to be even greater. This should ensure a huge collective audience for the film and the Keep the Oceans Clean! message.

The project is being developed and co-ordinated by Jacqui Smith, a graduate in marine resource management who has held a passion for the oceans since her earliest years growing up in Australia. “We will be using the excitement and adventure of the race to send a powerful message about caring for the ocean,” says Jacqui. “By engaging the sailors, who are getting first-handexperience of parts of nature most of us will never see close up, we hope to promote the importance of the oceans.” The initiative will also link up with local community groups – including schools, conservation projects and other nongovernmental organizations – at each stopover port with the aim of leaving an enduring legacy in the local area. The race has chosen an albatross mascot called ‘Wisdom’ for the Keep The Oceans Clean! Project. Seventeen of the world’s 22 albatross species are globally threatened with extinction and tens of thousands of albatrosses are killed each year by long-line fishing. Baited hooks attached to lines stretching up to 80 miles are designed to catch vast numbers of large fish but they can catch albatrosses as well. When the hooks are still visible near the sea’s surface, the foraging birds spot them and try to grab the bait before it sinks. Many others die through the consumption of plastic, which either chokes them to death or fills their stomachs so that there is no room for food. The greater part of the plastic floating on the world’s seas has found its way there from the land – and this is one of the key messages that the initiative will be trying to impress. “We will be trying to open people’s eyes to the important role the ocean plays in our lives,” adds Jacqui. “No matter where we live, the ocean is instrumental to our general wellbeing, and we need to realize that our actions affect its health.” For Jacqui, the initiative is an opportunity to make a positive difference. “We need to bridge the gap between science and public awareness in order to create positive change. Keep The Oceans Clean! will be doing exactly that with the help of the giant global platform provided by the Volvo Ocean Race.”

For more information on the Keep the Oceans Clean! Initiative, go to www.volvooceanrace.com/keeptheoceansclean

To find out more about Skeleton Sea go to www.skeletonsea.com

The Volvo Ocean Race also continues to support Britain’s Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, the largest wildlife conservation charity in Europe, and Birdlife International, a worldwide network of over 100 partner organizations, with their Save the Albatross campaign. They work together as a global team called the Albatross Task Force, educating fishermen, both onshore and at sea, to spread the message about life-saving techniques to keep albatrosses away from baited hooks. A percentage of proceeds from the official Volvo Ocean Race game and albatross mascot replica, Wisdom, will be donated to the Save the Albatross campaign.

For further information, please visit www.rspb.org.uk/albatross

Follow every minute of the Volvo Ocean Race on www.volvooceanrace.com

The Volvo Bus hybrid technology is the leading environmental solution for buses in urban areas. Without compromising on performance, and still delivering emissions reduction by up to 50 percent and fuel savings of up to 35 percent (up to 37 percent in the 7900 model), it is a truly competitive alternative for urban transport.

“Air traffic is one of the main environmental hooligans”
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) states that air traffic currently accounts for about two per cent of global carbon emissions – in other words, a relatively small percentage. On the other hand, air traffic has other problems, such as nitrogen oxide and water vapour emissions and the effects of condensation trails. When these aspects are included, it is estimated that air traffic accounts for 4.6 per cent of man’s total effect on the climate. As more and more people travel, these figures are likely to rise in the future. The percentage coming from air traffic will probably increase, but the amount depends not only on the aircraft industry but also on how successfully society reduces its other emissions.
= True & False

“Air traffic does more damage as emissions are discharged at high altitude”
This is one of the fundamental climate problems for air traffic. When jet propulsion fuel is combusted at an altitude of 10,000 meters, the effect on the climate is greater than it would be if the fuel were combusted on the earth’s surface. The climatic effect of air traffic is due not simply to carbon emissions but also to other factors, such as emissions at high altitude of water vapour, nitrogen oxide and particulates. Researchers do not, however, agree on how much greater the impact at high altitude is compared with near the ground.
=True

“Air traffic is the fastest growing source of greenhouse gases”
Between 1998 and 2008, global air traffic emissions unfortunately rose by 25 per cent. According to the US Department of Energy, the world’s carbon emissions from all fossil sources increased by 28 per cent, those from the combustion of coal by 43 per cent and from cement production by no less than 85 per cent. Even so, the aircraft industry naturally needs to work to keep its emissions down.
=False

“Air traffic will be the last means of transport to change to biofuel”
In 2011, airline companies are expected to operate commercial flights with the traditional fuel mixed with as much as 50 per cent environmentally sustainable alternatives. This will only have a marginal environmental effect, however. If biofuel is to produce a really positive effect on the environment, the production capacity that is needed for a large-scale transition to alternative fuels has to be created. This takes a long time.
=True

“Air traffic has reached its limit when it comes to technically reducing its environmental impact”
Aircraft manufacturers are constantly working to make advances related to the environment. They have developed lighter materials, smarter aerodynamic designs and better engines. As a result, aircraft are steadily becoming more effective and reducing fuel consumption and thereby emissions. For example, the Airbus 380 has the lowest fuel consumption per seat of all aircraft currently being used in scheduled traffic. Travelling with the A380 is more fuel efficient than going alone in a fuel efficient modern car.
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As many Swiss, I took the train to work. It was fast and affordable. But, many used their cars. This was at the time when catalytic emission control was being introduced in Europe. The air quality in Zürich suffered. Emissions, mainly from transports, the altitude and the frequent weather conditions with inversion contributed to the formation of city smog.  Some days the air was tearfully smoggy.

By the way, I have always wondered how it could take 13 years after Volvos pioneering introduction of the three way catalyst for cars in the US, before the corresponding emission standards were introduced in Europe.  Why?

Already in those days, most Swiss turned their engines off, to avoid idling at traffic lights. I remember the debate on whether the new cars with catalysts should be turned off or if the catalyst would get cold and the emissions would actually increase when the engine was ignited again.  Many Swiss are interested in politics. The democratic system that makes it possible for every citizen to call for a referendum, by collecting a sufficient number of supporting signatures increase the engagement and invites the citizens to contribute. It was found that it is better to turn the engine off, also when your car has a catalyst.
Since then, thanks to catalytic emission control the air quality has improved in Zürich as in most European cities. Today, the reduction of CO2 emissions and the energy use is more important.  The Swiss use their public transport about twice as much as most people in Europe. The Swiss make 44 public transport journeys per citizen and year. And, remember each and every decision can be questioned by a referendum. The Swiss citizens have decided themselves to make their trains, trams, trolleys and buses attractive.

Switzerland is densely populated and public transports are allowed to be faster than the cars. Switzerland has a long railway net with 0.64 metre railway per capita while France, Germany, Netherlands and Denmark for example have about 0.5 metre railway per capita while Sweden sticks out with most railways per capita in Europe with 1.26 metre.
When the Volvo 7700 Hybrid was introduced the Swiss Post insisted on having one of the first pre series buses. Now, Volvo hybrid buses run (or are very soon about to run) in increasing numbers of Swiss cities from A to Z: Aarau, Bern, Basel, Grüningen, Grüsch, Interlaken, Luzern, Solothurn,  Worblaufen,  Zug and Zürich. The early adopters, like the Swiss Post, have come back to order additional buses.
The Swiss bus operators are financially aware and have found that the hybrid city bus can save more than 35% of the fuel. In order to maximise the yearly saving hybrid buses are ran as many hours as possible, replacing the diesel buses. By experimenting with putting the hybrids in different routes it has been found that the most extreme yearly saving is achieved for commuters and regional traffic.
Soaring serenely away from the bus stop, the electric start takes the Swiss tradition of idle shut-down to a new level. As the hybrid bus is silently gliding ahead, leaving no emission cloud behind, the travellers waiting for the next bus can take a deep breath. The birds squabble loud about the seeds at the balcony above them.

This new vehicle offers a silent and non-polluting solution for urban deliveries which is perfectly adapted to the urban environment. It is to be tested over a one-year period and will be supplying fresh products to Carrefour Group store chains in the Lyon conurbation. It is the result of a technological partnership between Renault Trucks, PVI and IFP Energies nouvelles.

The world of goods road transport has to face an enormous environmental challenge. To meet it, the industry players are now examining all possible solutions to reduce its negative effects, or even eliminate them altogether. One of the options under consideration, the use of electrical energy, has extremely interesting potential.

On 13 October 2011, in the company of Gérard Collomb, the Senator-Mayor of Lyon and President of the Greater Lyon Authority, Stefano Chmielewski, the President of Renault Trucks, presented the keys of a 16 ton all-electric Renault Midlum to Francis Lemor, President of STEF-TFE at a ceremony attended by his customer, Didier Thibaud, Supply Chain Director of Carrefour France. Two other partners with pivotal roles in the success of this project were also present: Pierre-Henri Bigeard, site manager of IFP Energies nouvelles’ Lyon site and Michel Bouton, CEO of PVI.
 
This 16 ton all-electric Renault Midlum is an experimental vehicle. It is the largest all-electric truck ever put on the road for the distribution of fresh food products in an urban environment. From the beginning of 2012, it will start a one-year assignment during which it will be supplying eight Carrefour stores in the centre of Lyon and surrounding conurbation (Carrefour Planet Vénissieux, Carrefour Market at Saint-Fons, as well as several Carrefour City, 8 à huit and Marché + convenience stores). Using this silent truck will mean that deliveries to town centre stores can be made early in the morning (between 5 AM and 7 AM) to respect the peace and quiet of local residents. The all-electric refrigerated truck will then travel to the Saint-Pierre-de-Chandieu logistics platform so that it can make a delivery to the Carrefour Planet store at Vénissieux in the early afternoon. Altogether, it will cover a distance of 75 km.

This vehicle has been specially designed to keep pace with the changes currently taking place in major metropolitan distribution networks. It offers unparalleled acoustic comfort for drivers and local residents.  Non-polluting, emitting absolutely no CO2 and totally silent, this truck can carry 5.5 t of goods. It has an operating range of 100 km and can be fully recharged in only 8 hours. As a result, the vehicle has all the qualities needed for it to blend into its urban environment. This unique solution is the result of close collaboration between Renault Trucks, PVI and IFP Energies nouvelles. It was developed as part of the Melodys project, receiving financial support from the ADEME demonstrator fund. The purpose of this experiment is to test technologies which could be subsequently incorporated into production vehicles under actual operating conditions.

Technical characteristics of the All-electric Renault Midlum 16 t:

- Operating range: 100 km
- Recharging time: 8 hours
- Electric motor power: 103 kW      
- 3 Lithium ion battery packs with a total capacity of 150 kWh
- Payload: – 5.5 tonnes
- Bodywork: refrigerating unit

“So far, Volvo’s EPA2010 solution has exceeded all the expectations we had,” says Dan Einwechter, president of Canada’s largest private transport company, Challenger Motor Freight.
He is one of very many satisfied customers in North America who have invested in vehicles equipped with the Volvo Group’s SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction) technology. However, as so often happens when people are presented with a new technical solution, there was some degree of hesitation about the decision, primarily because this technology had never previously been used in the North American market. So, when Dan Einwechter was given the opportunity to travel to Europe to take a closer look at SCR technology, which was already being used in hundreds of thousands of vehicles, he realised that this was a chance to collect the information he needed.
“It helped me to resolve the questions I had. As things stand now, I can see nothing but benefits from this technology and, in my opinion, there are no other solutions,” says Dan Einwechter.

The Volvo Group’s journey relative to the design and development of the new engine began back in 2007, shortly after the introduction of the US07 engine. The US07 engine was used as the base and, using what is known as a “carry over”, vital components and technologies was transferred to the next generation. At the end of 2008, a little more than a year before the new EPA2010 emission standards were due to be introduced, it was decided that extra efforts would be made to improve the US07.
“Everyone involved combined forces and made an enormous effort and we were therefore able to make the improvements in time,” explains Lars-Inge Grahn, Chief Project Manager Volvo Powertrain.
The Volvo Group was by no means the only manufacturer that had challenges in US07. The manufacturer experiencing the greatest problems was Caterpillar ending up with them withdrawing from EPA2010

From the very start, EPA2010 was a top-priority project for the Volvo Group and there was an need to improve the execution compared to previous project. So one of the first things that was done was to study the learnings (White Books) from other Volvo Group projects and apply those learnings to EPA2010.
 “What’s more, we really invested in the time and energy that was needed to work with what we learned from the White Books in order to ensure that previous learnings was taken into account” says John Gurley, Chief Project Manager Volvo 3P.
One important discovery was that the collaboration between the various project partners, Volvo Powertrain, Volvo 3P, Global Manufacturing, Mack and Volvo Trucks North America, could be improved.
“We learned from this and improved our cross BA/BU communication strategy which allowed us to keep one another informed. When the work was at its most intensive, Lars-Inge, my counterpart at Volvo Powertrain, and I were in almost daily contact. This helped us prioritize and tackle the problems the moment they occurred. In order to assure crisp communications to the BA/BU’s, Lars-Inge and I reported jointly to the executive management when it came to the status and forecast of the project,” explains John Gurley.
“This helped us create trust and transparency in the project and contributed to the creation of confidence between the teams,” he adds.
Another important finding from the study of the US07 White Book was that several non product related projects was run in parallel with major product project. For example, major changes had been made to production at New River Valley, which was producing trucks for both Volvo Trucks and Mack at that time. 
“These trucks had previously been produced on separate lines, but production was merged so that they were assembled on the same line. This took place at the same time the assembly workers were supposed to be learning to assemble the new engine, with all the new components that entailed. There were quite simply too many new procedures at the same time,” explains Patrick Collignon, Vice President & General Manager of Volvo Trucks North America’s plant in New River Valley.
As a result of this learning, when it was decided that the production of Mack trucks was going to be transferred to Macungie, the company made sure this activity was coordinated with the EPA2010 project and completed before production began.
“This enabled us to avoid implementing process and product changes simultaneously,” says Patrick Collignon and he goes on to describe the precision with which the start of production was planned.
“As early as six months before EPA2010 came into force, we began building trucks with the new engines in batches of 15-20, in parallel with normal production. We then took a break lasting several weeks in which we evaluated our own way of producing vehicles and looked for areas for improvement. This then gave Volvo Powertrain and Volvo 3P time to analyse and process the data for input to possible areas for improvement. By doing this for several months, we made sure we were completely ready when the new vehicles were introduced.”
The trucks that were produced during this period were both internal test vehicles and vehicles for customers and this generated valuable information about the way the trucks performed.
“At the same time, however, it was a way to train and educate the employees so that we were ready when things kicked off in earnest,” adds Patrick Collignon.
At the Mack plant in Macungie, similar preparations were in progress. 
“As much as 2.5 years before the start of production, we began test assembly operations using digital models and 3D animation,” explains Jim Goodell, Vice President & General Manager of Mack’s Macungie plant.
“As we started so early, we were able to build our first EPA2010 truck in October 2008 and it was then tested first by us and then by a customer. All the data and feedback we received were sent directly to Volvo Powertrain and Volvo 3P.”

From a technical angle, the new emission standard was an enormous challenge. The Group’s engineers were expected not only to reduce fuel consumption by several percentage points but also virtually to eliminate the emission of particulates and nitrogen oxide. In North America, the US07 emission levels had been met by using so-called EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) technology. In short, this means that part of the exhaust gas is cooled and returned to the engine, thereby substantially reducing nitrogen oxide emissions. In parallel with this, the automotive industry in Europe had chosen a different technology route for meeting EU emission standards by utilizing SCR technology, whereby emission control takes place in a separate system after the engine. To realise the objectives for EPA2010, which is classified as the world’s most rigorous emission standard, neither SCR nor EGR technology alone would suffice.
“Together, however, the two technologies would comply with the requirements, so we simply took SCR technology from Europe and combined it with EGR technology from North America. We took advantage of our strength as a global player,” says Lars-Inge Grahn.
This is also reflected in the work that was done on developing the different 11-, 13- and 16-litre engines, where Volvo Powertrain used its test laboratories in Sweden, France and the USA.
“No other engine in history has been tested as carefully and comprehensively as the EPA2010; firstly in simulation programs in a lab environment and then in reality, by both us in our labs and at customers in real conditions,” explains Carlos Hungria, SVP Operations Volvo Powertrain, who at the time served as head of Volvo Powertrain North America in Hagerstown, Maryland.
In all, the different engine versions were subjected to durability and reliability tests corresponding to 21.0 million kilometres. Two success factors: having started the reliability program in very early phases of the project with the first prototypes and extensive field evaluation.
“We can safely say that the new engine has been tested in every conceivable way and so we felt extremely confident about the entire product even before production got under way.”

This was exactly what was needed to increase customer confidence and capture market share. While Mack only produces trucks with Volvo Group engines, Volvo Trucks’ customers can choose between engines from Volvo or Cummins.
“We had a high of 60 per cent Volvo engines in our trucks prior to the launch of the US07, but this figure had fallen to 50 per cent at the end of 2009,” explains Ron Huibers, Senior Vice President Sales & Marketing Volvo Trucks North America.
This negative trend was not reversed until the launch of the EPA2010 products.
“The reception that was given to the new trucks was fantastic and we have now achieved a record of 80 per cent Volvo engines in our trucks. Our target is to increase this percentage still further.”

As the price of diesel continues to rise steadily in North America, fuel consumption is becoming increasingly important. At the end of the day, a reduction of just one or two percentage points can represent major savings for transport companies.
“Many customers are currently experiencing fuel savings of up to five per cent, in some cases even more,” says Ron Huibers, who adds that Volvo’s market share in 2010 increased by more than 20 per cent, from 7.5 per cent to almost 9.4 per cent.
“We must now regain our customers’ confidence and capture even more market share. The target for 2011 is a market share of 10.6 per cent,” he says.

Everyone involved agrees that the EPA2010 project was a success. Two of the main reasons were the application of the White Book learnings and the excellent collaboration between all of the stakeholders.
“I have been working at Volvo since 1995 and I have witnessed all the product updates and launches in the heavy-duty and medium-duty segments. I have to say that the work that was done on EPA2010 easily surpasses the best I have ever experienced,” concludes Patrick Collignon.

Volvo will invest 40M RMB and SAIC 60M RMB in the new company that will be named Shanghai Green Bus Drive System Co and will be based in Shanghai, China, For the past 10 years, Volvo and SAIC have together successfully operated the joint venture company Sunwin Bus, one of the largest city bus manufacturers in China.

After securing approval from the relevant governmental authorities, a new facility will be constructed featuring a plant and offices for Shanghai Green Bus Drive System Co which is scheduled to be fully operational in the fourth quarter of 2011.

Accelerating the development of the strategic new energy vehicle industry is a top priority for the Chinese government. The government wants to develop a sustainable automotive industry and facilitate strategic leaps into the future for the Chinese auto industry. It aims to form a new energy vehicle industry chain, and to build industrial bases in a number of cities including Shanghai.

Today, Chinese companies are already at the cutting edge in new energy buses. The World Expo in Shanghai successfully demonstrated the commercial operation of new energy vehicles on the largest global scale to date, featuring more than 1,000 new energy vehicles (pure electric, hybrids and fuel cell vehicles).

They were mainly based on SAIC Motors’ technology and fulfilled the aim of zero emission inside the expo park. Sunwin Bus delivered a total of 332 new energy buses, which provided flawless service at the Expo.

SAIC Motors has decided on the technological roadmap for the development of new energy vehicles under the Chinese energy strategy. It aims to increase the use of electric vehicles and later also fuel cell vehicles, while also supporting the industrialization of hybrid and pure-electric vehicles.

Volvo Buses has commenced serial production of its Volvo 7700 Hybrid and the double-decker Volvo B5L Hybrid buses. To date, the company has received orders from major global bus operators. The reports from customers are very positive. Hybrid bus availability is equally as high as the level for diesel buses, and in terms of fuel consumption it is very clear that Volvo has the most fuel-efficient hybrid solution in the world.

Volvo has a long-term technological roadmap for the development of new energy vehicles for the world market.  Near term development plan have a strong focus on various types of hybrid vehicles.

One of SAIC’s core businesses is to support and advance new energy bus operations in the aim of being the leading manufacturer at the Chinese domestic market, and to explore the export opportunities in overseas market. Volvo is focused on capturing a leading position in development of new energy bus markets all around the world.

To realize these targets in partnership, the parties have agreed to establish the new joint venture company in China. The new company will act as the carrier for the new energy bus industrialization. Research and development projects within SAIC Motors and Volvo Buses regarding new energy driveline systems, will be industrialized in the new company.

The new company will concentrate on assembling new energy driveline systems and complete vehicle matching, prototype manufacturing and testing new energy driveline systems.

The Earth Hour action is simply to turn off the lights for one hour. The Earth Hour is a global initiative by WWF, and last year the initiative reached more than one billion people. At the Environmental Council meeting in January 2011 all BA/BU agreed that the Volvo Group will participate in the Earth Hour to the best extent possible, taking necessary safety precautions, with all its operations and facilities and encouraging employees to join privately.

As an employee, we ask you to turn off lamps, computers and other unnecessary lighting when you finish work, just as usual. And if you want, turn off your lights at home for an hour as well.

We sympathize with the WWF’s initiative, which we see as a powerful symbolic action. It’s also entirely in line with the company’s existing environmental efforts,” says Jan-Eric Sundgren, responsible for environmental and social responsibility issues in Volvo’s group management. “During 2010 Volvo has joined the WWF Climate Savers programme and we have done a commitment to WWF to reduce CO2-emissions both from our products and from our production. We see WWF as an important partner in our efforts to improve our environmental performance” says Jan-Eric.

The Volvo Group is highly committed to the environment, and has been conducting strong environmental initiatives throughout its organization for many years. The company has substantially reduced its energy consumption and CO2 emissions. In production, for instance, energy consumption has been cut by a total of approximately 40% between 2004 and 2008 (baseline year 2003) in relation to the Group’s net sales. In the new environmental challenge for 2010-2012 we’ll continue our efforts to improve energy efficiency with a special focus on idling losses.

Recent milestones in Volvo’s history from an environmental perspective:

• In 2007, The Volvo Group is the first vehicle manufacturer to introduce seven different demonstration trucks, all of which can be driven without any emissions of climate-impacting carbon dioxide.
• Volvo Buses initiates serial production of the Volvo 7700 Hybrid bus and double-decker Volvo B5L Hybrid in 2010. The hybrid technology reduces fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by up to 35 percent.

• The same year, Volvo Trucks becomes the first truck manufacturer in the world to use Bio-DME (dimethyl ether) as a fuel for motor vehicles. The first Volvo’s DME trucks in commercial operation are placed in service on Swedish roads.

• The Volvo Group was also the first truck manufacturer in the world to join “Climate Savers,” an initiative started by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), in November 2010.

Earch Hour 2011

Volvo Group in co-operation with WWF Climate Savers

Volvo Group environmental work

It costs billions of kronor to develop a new engine generation to meet tougher demands on exhaust emissions, primarily particulates and nitrogen oxides. In the best-case scenario, this may reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by perhaps one percent. At the same time, relatively simple measures have been shown to deliver far greater savings.

“It’s usually the hardware that gets all the attention. The hardware is of course important and we are very proud of the fact that we have what is possibly the most efficient truck on the market. What is more important, however, is that we have now adopted a holistic approach based on the customer’s operations, aiming for optimal energy usage and minimised environmental impact. It’s all about big and small steps in harmony,” says Volvo Trucks President and CEO Staffan Jufors.

In order to show the broad range of fuel-saving measures available, the company is presenting a philosophy called “Every Drop Counts”. It is a concept that aims at reducing fuel consumption and environmental impact. At www.volvotrucks.com/everydropcounts the company shares examples of both big and small ways of achieving fuel savings.

The driver is the key to fuel economy
Driver training is one of the most effective means of cutting fuel consumption. In Europe, 15,000 drivers have already taken Volvo Trucks’ driver training course. The overall range of measures includes major technical innovations such as hybrid technology and gas-powered engines, as well as accessories and services such as choice of equipment, vehicle maintenance, traffic planning systems and fuel consumption analysis. Correct wheel alignment and appropriate choice of tyres can cut fuel consumption by as much as 14 percent. 

“In other words, we’re not talking about a vision for the future but rather about concrete steps that are already happening. With all these pieces of the puzzle falling into place, we feel the time is ripe for going out in this way and talking about our philosophy and our long-term aims,” says Staffan Jufors.

More information is available from www.volvtrucks.com/everydropcounts.

This initiative is the brainchild of the environmental council on which all the business areas and business units are represented.

“We have discussed ways NAP can also contribute to Volvo’s core value of environmental concern,” says Dirk Boon at NAP, who is also a member of the environmental council.

“As NAP purchases all the business trips for the entire Volvo Group, it saw an opportunity to measure and, in the future, reduce carbon emissions caused by business trips,” explains Stephan Hylander, Global Travel Manager for the Volvo Group. Since 1 January 2011, the carbon emissions produced by every business flight within the Volvo Group have been measured. Once these measurements have been completed, the plan is to be able to recommend the best way of covering different routes – such as taking the train rather than a flight for short trips.

NAP is also hoping to use this information as a parameter when it negotiates the price of trips.

“We know that routes, aircraft models and the number of stops on a journey result in different carbon emission levels and this has to be taken into account when we make agreements with travel companies,” says Stephan Hylander.

“In the future, we would, for example, like to be able to recommend a specific airline for a specific trip.”

The measurements will be reported at BA/BU level, but it will also be possible to break them down at individual level if a manager wishes to see how his/her department is performing.

“It’s our vision to be able to link carbon emissions to a carbon budget, exactly like the financial budget, so that people have to make adjustments and try not to exceed their budget,” explains Stephan Hylander.

NAP is also hoping to encourage alternative ways of communicating, such as live meetings and video conferences, when travelling is not necessary to make meetings effective.

Read more about Volvo Group transport policy

Environment as a corporate value

The state-owned company Swedavia aims to make all of its 14 airports in Sweden carbon-neutral in terms of upkeep and maintenance. Daily operations involve the deployment of an extensive fleet of machinery comprising Volvo products featuring customized equipment, including snow removal machines that keep the runways clear of snow.
In partnership with the German customer Schmidt, the Volvo Group has developed a snow sweeper that uses Volvo engines fueled by a mixture of compressed methane and diesel.
“We have combined the superior efficiency of a diesel engine with the advantages of biogas. This has resulted in an engine that is significantly more energy-efficient than traditional gas-powered engines in which the biogas combusts in an Otto cycle,” says Inge Horkeby, Director Environmental Affairs AB Volvo.

The test vehicle’s cab unit is the front section of an A25E articulated hauler from Volvo Construction Equipment, equipped with a nine-liter diesel engine converted to gas. In the rear section a similar engine from Volvo Penta is used to power a roller brush and a snow-blower unit that expels the remaining snow at a speed of 130 m/s. While the Volvo Group already has trucks and buses that are powered by biogas, this is the first time that Volvo CE and Volvo Penta are showcasing a product equipped with biogas-powered engines.

Today, the snow sweeper will be handed over to Swedavia at Arlanda Airport Stockholm and shortly thereafter be transported to Kiruna Airport where field tests will be conducted. The vehicle will initially be powered by at least 50% biogas combined with conventional diesel. This can ultimately be replaced by biodiesel without making any technical adjustments, which would make the vehicle entirely carbon-neutral. During the trial period, Volvo will participate in the measurement and review of results.

Read more about Volvo Group in partnership with WWF

WWF global website