Finland To Propose Green Highway
Energy Boom
Not just an electrified highway, the focus is to turn a 130 km (81 mile) stretch of road — running from Turku on Finland’s southwestern coast to Vaalimaa near the Russianborder — into an ecological route providing ethanol produced fromregional waste, as well as biofuels and electricity forenvironmentally-conscious travelers.
The municipality of Loviisa, situated near the beginning of the proposed highway, is responsible for the green highway suggestion, and is now spearheading the project.
“The aim is to create the model for an ecological highway that could be used even on an international level,” said Loviisa city official Aki Marjasvaara. “No other such project exists. This would set an example to the world.”
One of the more interesting features along the green route will be "smart lighting", a system that switches off lights at point of entry where no vehicles are traveling, and adjusts lights accordinglyto weather-induced travel conditions.
Still in its proposal stages, the Loviisa municipality is in the midst of completing a study to determine the green highway’s feasibility. Also necessary, at least economically, will be clarifying whether or not the project is big enough to garner EU support.
If approved, Finland’s world standard green highway would be completed in 2016, with costs estimated around the US$900 million mark.
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Original Article on EnergyBoom
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