By Philippe Schulz, Renault expert leader on environment, energy & strategic raw materials
I was part at Vienna R20 conference, of a panel on the energy mix of the future, alongside Kandeh Yumkella, UNIDO Director General, Arnold Schwarzenegger, R20 Founding Chair and R20 President, Michèle Sabban. Developing sustainable energy for all is a clear commitment for the Alliance, as demonstrated by our CEO membership to the high level group set up by UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon in November 2011.
Why is it so urgent to act?
The oil bill is a huge burden for both citizens and governments. In Europe, it is already €1 billion/day. In China, the energy bill was multiplied by 20 in the last 10 years.
Road transportation is addicted to oil with more than 95% of cars fueled by either gasoline or Diesel.
The 20 million barrels of oil burned everyday by passenger cars and LCVs do produce both CO2 (climate change) and pollutants (particulates, NOx…)
Therefore, this oil bill leads to a cost for us, and a cost for the planet. The latter two are more difficult to quantify and translate into health and climate change bills. The 3 are unsustainable.
As a car manufacturer we do react, by developing more efficient internal-combustion cars that are clean. But we have to do more and develop zero-emission vehicles.
Zero-emission vehicles are not only clean but they are real: safe, practical & fun…and easy to own.
Bruno Mattucci (General Director Nissan Austria), Olivier Paturet (General Manager Zero Emission Strategy Nissan Europe), Olivier Gaudfroy (General Director Renault Austria), Philippe Schulz (Expert Leader Environment, Energy and Raw Material Renault) with Fluence Z.E. at Vienna R20 conference.
The key for Renault is to make all of these cars affordable for everybody.
We have clearly 2 targets in mind:
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First, to accelerate the global implementation of the best vehicle fuel-efficient technologies, in all markets, provided that the required fuel quality is available.
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Second, to deploy and mass market the EV lineup that we developed : Nissan Leaf, Renault Fluence Z.E., Kangoo Z.E., Twizy and ZOE.
To successfully do that, we not only have to address governments but also sub-national levels. That’s the key contribution of R20, helping Renault-Nissan mobilize the biggest world regions implementing our solutions. Sustainable energy has to fuel sustainable mobility for all.
Philippe Schulz discussing car industry numbers with Kandeh Yumkella.
