Hands on: Spain to promote 31 measures to save energy and makes cars an important part of them
Spain's Minister of Industry and Energy, Miguel Sebastián, has introduced a set of measures to save energy, most of which affect cars and the way they're driven. These are expected to save 43 to 47 million barrels from being imported into Spain by 2011, not only for economic reasons but also because the country is becoming one of Europe's most polluting. Regarding transport, the measures are as follows:
- Stimulating the introduction and production of electric vehicles (he's surely heard Mr. Brown).
- The administration will only be able to purchase energy-efficient vehicles.
- All public vehicles to use 20-percent biofuel by 2009.
- Instead of a global requirement for biofuel blending, the total amount of biofuel to be used in 2010 is set be 5.83 percent.
- A plan to renew cars older than 15 years.
- Reduce speeds around cities by 20 percent. This is has been tested in Barcelona (and Rotterdam) for a while, and it's been discussed for the U. S as well.
- A massive advertising campaign on fuel-efficient driving, including fuel-saving questions for drivers' license tests.
- Investment in "sustainable urban mobility."
- Stimulating the use of bicycles in urban and suburban environments.
- Conditioning the nation's subsides on mass transit according to environmental parameters. For instance, no private companies in charge of bus lines will get money if they use old vehicles.
- All commuter train, subway and light railway lines to have complete cell phone coverage.
- Having all mass transit working on weekends and weekend nights
- Creating exclusive HOV lanes for public transport on highways.
- Creating and modifying bus lines adapted to commuting needs, so workers do not rely on private cars to go to work.
- Allowing the use of defense air reserved areas for commercial airplanes to reduce route distance.
[Source: 20 minutos]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Movilidad Eléctrica 7:33AM (8/01/2008)
Great news for Spain! Finally it seems that government is going forward in sustainability. The measure number 5, to introduce 1 million electric and hybrid cars in 2014, is a great step and now we need to know the measures to accomplish this objective.
www.movilidadelectrica.blogspot.com
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Phil L. 8:27AM (8/01/2008)
Most of this is just fine tuning of existing systems - something they should have been doing all along anyway.
It's nice to cheer new, efficient vehicles. But governments don't build cars - corporations do. Corporations tend to build what people buy. Want to change what is built - and what people buy? Be wary of government attempts to simply force change (Exhibit A: US CAFE requirements); the ultimate effects are often far different than the original intention.
I'm also curious as to how some of these plans will be implemented. How do you make sure "investment" and "stimulating" efforts don't simply turn into corporate welfare? Will HOV lanes simply encourage more traffic? How much will it cost to "renew" all cars older than 15 years? *ALL* mass transit workers on the job during weekends? Who will tend the system during the week?
I see lots of feel-good ideas here, but little substance.
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Valhar2000 4:19PM (2/05/2009)
In Spain, HOV lanes require that vehicles in them carry 2 or more passengers (though I'm not sure how well enforced this is). Therefore, while HOV lanes may encourage more people to use a car, they will not likely encourage "more traffic". People will either car-pool or just forgo the HOV lane.
Makes a lot of sense for buses, though. It could help them avoid heavy traffic during rush hour and thus make them very attractive to commuters.
I read that the way they will renew cars is by offering a 1000€ subsidy for the purchase of a new car. Thsi has been done before, though not with such a large subsidy. The idea is that you hand in your new car to a governmental agency which gives you the money in return. 1000€ is a big help when it comes to buying a new car, and you don't have the hassle of attempting to sell the car on the second hand market.
I'm nto sure how much it will cost, but it shoudl help people get rid of junkers, and keep the automobile industry above water.
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