Green Highway 
Background
Background
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The historical background of Green Highway is to be found in the important pilgrimage routes to Nidaros (Trondheim), and the later establishment of important trading routes between Norway and Sweden. In Norway fish and furs were bought, and sold along the route. Later on road and railroad has opened up for a continuously more interesting transport axis. With the construction of the railroad Östersund – Trondheim in 1882 tourism could boom. During the 20th century the abundant access to electric power helped create the next phase in the industrial change of the region. The potential for further investments in renewable energy in this region is substantial, given the already strong focus on hydropower, energy production from biofuels and household wastes, large bioenergy potential from the forest areas, and good possibilities for expanded wind power. This creates unique possibilities also to produce large quantities of energy and fuel in form of biogas and bioethanol for transport purposes during the years to come. An important part of the energy production of the region is sustainable today thanks to a rich supply in renewable energy. The change-over of the electricity- and heat systems has also come far. The challenge is the transport sector, which still in large part is based on fossil energy. A steadily increased amount of traffic and need for transport has meant that at least half of today’s emissions of climate gases originate from the transport sector. The municipalities of Sundsvall, Östersund and Trondheim have all three had an increasing focus on measures to reduce climate gases, both in the stationary and the mobile sector. It was therefore natural for the SÖT-collaboration to focus on this, and this was a direct reason why the Green Highway concept came about. |
