Transport, energy and environment, 2010

Vestlandsforsking have collected and systematized data on transport, energy and the environment since the institute was created in 1987. An early milestone was in 1993 with the release of the report "Passenger transport, impacts on energy and the environment." The report documented the development of a comprehensive database of energy and environmental data for passenger transport. The report included the consumption figures and emission factors for different travel types, vehicles and fuels. Høyer and Heiberg's report represented the first comprehensive presentation of the Norwegian passenger transport energy and emissions accounting, based on objective and consistent data of high scientific quality. The report aroused very great interest and was by far the best-selling report throughout Vestlandsforsking history. More than 200 reports are sold and report results through the years passed by VF researchers at nearly 100 lectures for students, researchers and politicians. Among other things, the report contributed to the permanent teaching assignments among third- and fourth year students at NTNU and the University of Oslo. In addition, a number of subsequent research in the VF are based on data from this work. Indeed, the report of 1993 has been a prerequisite for the implementation of many of these projects, including four completed PhD degrees between 1999-2003.

In the period after 1993 Vestlandsforsking regularly updated pieces of data in various projects. The here applied project will build on and continue the results of these projects. An important refinement on the original work of Høyer and Heiberg, and subsequent projects, is the delimitation of passengers. Although we have been able to do some minor analysis on freight transport, we have not had project basis to make an equally thorough analysis on the goods side as we did in 1993 on the personal side. To extend from passenger to also carry freight transport is a very important point in the envisioned project.