Transportation and Fossil Fuel Use in a Rural Context : A Case Study on Norderön in Jämtland, Sweden

Abstract: The transport sector is facing great challenges of rising transport demand but at the same time meeting requirements of substituting fossil fuels, and mitigating its environmental impacts. Conventional transportation solutions are well-adapted to urban contexts, but not to rural contexts. A tendency to try to solve rural issues with urban thinking has been observed during the study. The thesis’s purpose is to aid the implementation of the national “Fossil-fuel free 2030” vision in the County of Jämtland, Sweden, by studying fossil fuel use in a well-defined rural area: the island of Norderön in Lake Storsjön. The thesis is based on a literature study, interviews with islanders and officials, and a questionnaire to the islanders.   The transport work for Norderön was estimated in form of annual the fuel use of diesel and petrol. Diesel consumption in 2011, including ferries, was estimated to 500 m3 (c:a 4 m3 per capita and year) and petrol consumption, including through traffic, was estimated to 300 m3 (c:a 2 m3 per capita and year). Annual mileage per car and number of cars per capita on the island are higher than in Sweden in general. The large number of private cars on the island is caused by insufficient public transportation service. A household with low accessibility requires high mobility to satisfy its needs. For the situation in 2030 a probable increase in transport demand is compensated by an increase in energy efficiency of different transport technology, and the fuel consumption is thus estimated to be similar in 2030 to what is was in 2011. Reaching the “Fossil-fuel free 2030” vision through a direct substitution of fossil fuels with bio-based fuels will be limited by biofuel supply, especially if the vision shall be reached also in areas surrounding Norderön. There is an urgent need to develop solutions applicable for rural areas, which are based on comprehensive transport demand management measures combined with continued focus on fuel efficiency, energy efficient transport modes and alternative fuels.