– The rates are quite hefty. We pass the barriers many times on our normal distribution drive in Trondheim. That’s what Posten’s district manager, Bjørn Christian Finseth, says. In Oslo, a passage costs NOK 104 for heavy transport during rush hour, in Trondheim it costs up to NOK 88. From 1 September, it is for the first time free to pass the toll stations in Oslo also for biogas trucks, as it is for trucks that use electricity and hydrogen. The same will soon be introduced in Trondheim. – We do see that there is a reduction in emissions from passenger cars, but for commercial transport there is a longer way to go. That’s what Christian Dahlberg–Hauge, director of industry, transport and the environment in Trondheim municipality, says. May be exempt in other cities In Bergen and Stavanger, the politicians have not yet decided whether it will be free. – This is something we have not fully assessed in Bergen yet, says Thor Haakon Bakke (MDG), city councilor for climate, environment and transport in Bergen. From this autumn, a separate rate class has been created for biogas vehicles, as the government has requested. Now it is up to the local politicians whether exemptions are to be granted in the toll rings. – We will look at this together with the county council in the future. Exemptions can have a good climate effect, says Bakke. Therefore, it can be free at the toll stations The Storting has decided that biogas vehicles (heavy vehicles) must be treated equally with electric and hydrogen-powered cars in the toll rings. The Swedish Road Administration has been asked to prepare a solution with a separate rate class. This is now in place from autumn 2022. This means that there may be a toll exemption for biogas lorries, but the local politicians must then adopt this. In Oslo, an exemption has been introduced for gas-powered vehicles from 1 September. From February 2022, Enova provides support for biogas vehicles of up to NOK 210,000. There are currently around 2,000 gas vehicles in Norway. Sweden has 55,000 gas vehicles. They also have passenger cars that run on gas, which we don’t have in Norway. One kilogram of biogas can be compared to one liter of diesel. Today, one kilogram of biogas is sold for between NOK 25 and 30. Biogas can be made from food waste, sludge from aquaculture facilities, sewage sludge and organic waste from industry. Source: Ministry of Transport, Norwegian Environment Agency, Enova and Biogas Norway. For the first time, it is free for biogas trucks to pass the toll station in Oslo. They are thus equated with other heavy zero-emission vehicles that use electricity and hydrogen. Photo: Bård Nafstad / news Important signal The transport industry has requested measures and is positive about what is happening in Oslo and Trondheim. – It means a lot in terms of money. At least as important is the signal effect and that the authorities help to pull the load together, says transport manager at Franzefoss recycling, Andreas Hove. They have three new biogas trucks and have ordered 20 new ones. A new grant from Enova this year makes this easier to achieve. In Oslo, the exemption from road tax lasts for five years until 2027 for all trucks with zero emissions. – It must pay to choose zero emissions. Emissions from cars and trucks account for a large proportion of greenhouse gas emissions in Oslo, and emissions must be reduced. That’s what the city council for the environment and transport in Oslo, Sirin Stav (MDG), says. Oslo is the first this autumn to make it free with gas-powered trucks in the toll ring. Photo: Oslo municipality Massive change in Trondheim Free road tax is one of the measures to reduce emissions in Trondheim, says the director for business, transport and the environment in Trondheim, Christian Dahlberg–Hauge. While emissions from passenger cars have been reduced by 19 per cent since 1990 and until 2020, emissions from heavy traffic in Norway have increased by as much as 78 per cent in the same period. New figures for air emissions will come on 3 November, Statistics Norway informs. – It is a fairly massive replacement that must take place within seven years. In order to achieve that, concrete measures are needed, he says. Trondheim municipality has a goal of cutting emissions by as much as 80 percent by 2030. If the city is to achieve this, as many as 8,000 vans and 1,250 lorries need to switch to electricity, biogas or hydrogen. – The local decisions are in place, as soon as we get approval from central authorities this will be able to be introduced in Trondheim, says Dahlberg-Hauge. The municipality itself is in the process of a major replacement of its cars. Prices for trucks at the tollbooths in Oslo and Trondheim Prices in and around Oslo for heavy vehicles: Rush hour: NOK 104 Outside rush hour: NOK 88 Prices in and around Trondheim vary for heavy vehicles over 3,501 kilos: Ring road, Trondheim: Rush hour: NOK 40 Outside rush hour : NOK 32 Være (Malvikvegen): Rush hour: NOK 88 Off-peak: NOK 44 Free: Oslo: Free for trucks that use biogas, hydrogen or electricity. Trondheim: Free for trucks that use hydrogen and electricity. Soon it will also be free for biogas trucks. Trucks must pay for each passage in the 25 toll stations in and around Trondheim. In rush hour it costs between NOK 40 and 88, the rates are different in the toll stations. Photo: Bent Lindsetmo Waited a long time Posten Norge has taken a long time to replace the fossil-fuel cars. Now the trip has really come to the trucks. – We are only now starting with trucks. When we soon get a toll exemption in Trondheim, it will help, so that the election will be even easier, says district manager Bjørn Christian Finseth. Posten Norge currently has five zero-emission trucks in Trøndelag and Møre og Romsdal. Two have biogas in the tank, while the other three are electric cars. This is something the industry is concerned about. – I have seen a clear development in recent years. Everyone is asking when we will buy the first emission-free car. People have been waiting for clear political decisions that enable them to have a safe investment, says Roar Melum of the Truck Owners’ Association. It also means a lot that enough filling stations are in place. In Trøndelag, there is currently only one filling station in Trondheim for biogas trucks. The fact that there will soon be toll exemptions in the city is welcome. – It’s really good. We have waited a long time for this, which can speed up the green shift, says Melum.
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Free for all lorries with zero emissions at the toll stations in Oslo and Trondheim – news Trøndelag
