Norway, Alaska, and the Future of Sustainable Transportation
How does an oil state decarbonize its transportation sector? Norway is one of the countries leading the charge toward electrified solutions, igniting ideas for what could be possible in Alaska.
In June 2022, two Launch Alaska staff members joined Alaska transportation officials on a transatlantic trip east, facilitated by Innovation Norway, “the Norwegian Government's most important instrument for innovation and development of Norwegian enterprises and industry.” Together, the group exchanged knowledge, explored inspirational projects, and shared future plans for creating place-based clean energy economies.
For the Launch Alaska team, the trip to Norway highlighted the value of a few key tools and tenets: These three takeaways can help accelerate the transportation transition throughout Alaska and around the country.
The future revolves around “next practices,” not just best practices.
“This is a time for us to be creative, and this is also a time for us to move quickly,” said Launch Alaska Transportation Lead Tim Leach. “The example that we heard in Norway is moving the conversation from ‘What if?’ to ‘What’s next?’”
Planning for future transportation needs and technologies allows for nimble movement toward more efficient systems. In Oslo, it led to the creation of a thriving, dynamic, pedestrian-oriented city center, reflecting a strategic vision for clean mass transit and freight delivery. Electric ferries, scooters, and a metro system keep the city moving and electric vans and electric cargo bikes keep the shelves stocked. It was an inspiring feat of innovation and collaboration, said Launch Alaska Chief Innovation Officer Rob Roys.
“They made it easy for you to use that entire system, and to be zero-emissions for the day,” Rob said. “It makes you think about the possibilities.”
A successful transition requires a shared vision.
When government agencies, private industry, technology providers, and other stakeholders unite around a shared vision, it enables co-creation and collaboration built on trust, which derisks projects and moves everything forward.
“It didn’t matter if we were talking about hydrogen or ammonia; it didn’t matter if we were talking about marine (modes) or land or air; it didn’t matter if we were talking to a public organization or private – what you saw was that shared vision, and the results of it were pretty spectacular,” Rob said.
A successful shared vision is cultivated via public policy.
Strong public policy aims to engage with technology providers, encouraging development of sustainable, decarbonized marine and ground transport by spurring innovation. Innovation can come via new technologies or new business models, upgrading public service by decreasing costs and improving vehicle and vessel performance, whether they’re powered by batteries, hydrogen fuel cells, various types of ammonia, or other alternative fuels.
“Those technological solutions are going to be critical to our success, but we need to move quickly towards them,” Tim said. “Providing that space, providing that leadership, providing that vision really starts at the top.”
The momentum is building. The ideas cultivated during the June trip continue to blossom – they now help inform and inspire Alaska’s official Sustainable Transportation Program, a new multimodal transportation initiative aiming to “help communities thrive through transportation investments that promote reduced GHG emissions, energy independence, efficiency, low-cost transportation, and a healthy environment.”
To learn more about the program and the future of sustainable transportation in Alaska, click here.