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Report: OPET Thematic Brochure: Transport - Results of activities 2003-2005

Ever-increasing energy consumption is one of the greatest challenges facing Europe and the world today. Most consumption is derived from fossil fuels - much of it imported from outside Europe, depleting natural resources and contributing to global climate change, through increased greenhouse gas emissions. When the EU signed the Kyoto Protocol, it promised to reduce these emissions by 2012, by 8% in comparison to 1990 levels. To meet this commitment, significant changes of behaviour are required now, both in terms of energy supply and demand management.

Adopting new energy technologies and reducing energy consumption in the transport sector is critical to meeting Europe's overall goals. According to the Commission's November 2000 Green Paper "Towards a European strategy for the security of energy supply", energy consumption in the transport sector in 1998 accounted for 28% of emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂-the leading greenhouse gas). Road transport is the main culprit, since it alone accounts for 84% of the CO₂ emissions attributable to transport.

Seven partners worked together within the OPET network, integrating their knowledge and expertise on energy issues in transport and giving feedback to the European Commission on the application at local level of European energy technologies in transport.

The main activities included:

developing a strategy for OPET on transport-related energy issues
hosting an OPET conference on 'Energy issues in transport' (Brussels, 25-26 May 2004).

The partners focused their efforts on promoting technologies in three critical areas: