Draft national distribution infrastructure programme sent out for comments

The Ministry of Transport and Communications invites comments on the draft national programme for the distribution of new fuels to road transport. The programme extends to 2035.

The draft programme examines the current state of the infrastructure for distributing electricity, methane and hydrogen for transport use and the state of the vehicle fleet utilising these. Ít also presents the necessary measures for improving the distribution infrastructure.

The purpose of the programme is to promote the green transition in the transport sector. To make new power sources available for households and businesses across Finland, a nationwide and fluent distribution network is needed.

In the development of the distribution infrastructure, Finland's strengths include its expertise in intelligent charging services and the positive development prospects of the hydrogen economy. Biogas and, in the future, hydrogen and renewable synthetic methane can be used in solving the challenge of the transitional phase in heavy-duty transport. 

The future needs of electric transport must also be taken into account when developing and strengthening the electricity grids. Through land use planning and guidance, regions and municipalities play a key role in the process of deciding locations for infrastructure intended for heavy-duty transport that requires a lot of space.

Programme serves as a basis for monitoring the AFIR regulation proposal

The programme is also intended to serve in Finland as a promoter of the implementation of the EU's alternative fuels infrastructure, so-called AFIR, regulation proposal, and as a basis for the monitoring required by the regulation. 

Negotiations on the AFIR regulation proposal are under way. Once it enters into force, it will set a minimum level for the public infrastructure for alternative fuels distribution.

Nearly everywhere in Finland, the distance between electric car charging stations serving passenger cars and lorries is not more than 50 km. In southern and western Finland, there is almost always a charging station within a 25 km radius. The number and coverage of high power recharging points has improved.

Currently, there are no charging infrastructure or hydrogen refuelling stations serving heavy-duty transport, so further measures are needed to achieve the minimum objectives of the future regulation. So far, charging stations for biogas have also concentrated in southern parts of Finland.

Report on charging infrastructure for heavy-duty road transport completed

To support the preparation of the national distribution infrastructure programme, the Ministry of Transport and Communications commissioned a report on the charging infrastructure for electric heavy-duty vehicles. The work examined the planning principles and identified potential locations for the charging points at the beginning of the transition phase. The report was prepared by Ramboll Finland Oy and it will be published as the distribution infrastructure programme will be sent out for comments on 8 February 2023.

What's next?

The deadline for the distribution infrastructure programme is 28 February 2023. All organisations and private individuals may submit comments online at www.lausuntopalvelu.fi. www.lausuntopalvelu.fi. After that, the programme will be finalised for publication at the Ministry of Transport and Communications.

The aim is to publish the programme in March 2023.

Inquiries:

Päivi Antikainen, Director of Unit, tel. +358 50 382 7101, [email protected], Twitter @PaiviAntikainen

Tuuli Ojala, Ministerial Adviser, tel. +358 50 563 8130, [email protected], Twitter @OjalaTuuli