We all need to keep things rolling
Mobility and transport are an essential part of everyday life today, and enable us to stay in contact with each other and keep the economy and essential services running. Without traffic and transport, society and prosperity would quickly grind to a halt. The continuing growth in traffic and transport worldwide has awoken us, however, to the need to think about the impact that the demand for mobility is having on society.
The impact that traffic-related emissions and noise have on the immediate environment has attracted a lot of interest for many years, but it is only during the last decade that the impact they have on climate generally has been addressed. The issue of traffic-related greenhouse gas emissions only started to be incorporated into legislation a couple of years ago.
A lot has been achieved in a short time, however. Automotive manufacturers have achieved virtual miracles in developing new engines and exhaust systems, while at the same time improving standards of comfort and safety and engine performance. Under EU targets, the CO2 emissions of cars sold in the Community will have to fall to an average of a maximum of 130 g/km by 2015; and it now appears that this goal will be reached even earlier. The average emissions of new cars registered in Finland in 2011 were 145 g/km.
In addition to developing better engines, environmental performance can also be improved significantly by developing better fuels. The best biofuels are capable of reducing CO2 emissions by as much as 80% compared to fossil fuels. The best biofuels are also better in terms of their other properties than fossil fuels. Quality fuels make it easier to develop cleaner and more efficient engine technology.
Neste Oil has been developing cleaner fuels for over 20 years, and has succeeded in launching new, better-performing fuels every couple of years. Premium quality NExBTL renewable diesel is the latest example of a cleaner fuel offering truly industry-leading performance.
Neste Oil can be expected to continue developing cleaner traffic solutions into the future, driven by our conviction that mobility should continue to be a priority, but not at the expense of compromising the lives of future generations. Quality fuels with a smaller environmental footprint have an important part to play in guaranteeing everyone’s quality of life.
Osmo Kammonen, Senior Vice President, Communications, Marketing and Public Affairs