| Volvo has recently announced that its truck-making | | | | "We are not prepared to say that we should expand |
| business has signed an energy supply contract with | | | | nuclear energy. What we are prepared to say, |
| utility Vattenfall. The contract specified that none of | | | | however, is that we believe that it would be |
| the company's electricity will be generated from | | | | favourable if we dared to again take a look and |
| nuclear power plants by 2008. | | | | seriously investigate the conditions for the future of |
| According to Volvo's environmental chief Inge | | | | nuclear energy against the background of the |
| Horkeby, the nuclear energy is not in line with the | | | | technology development that has occurred since the |
| company's environmental goals. She told the Dagens | | | | referendum in 1980. There has not been any new |
| Nyheter newspaper, "We place nuclear energy far | | | | thinking about nuclear energy in Sweden since then," |
| down the scale. It's not sustainable from a number of | | | | it continued. |
| aspects." | | | | Since the 1970s, Volvo holds environmental |
| "The raw materials used to produce nuclear energy | | | | consideration as one of its core values. The company |
| are a finite resource and the waste management | | | | has said that its long-term objectives included the |
| problem has not been solved," she added. | | | | increase in use of the carbon dioxide-neutral energy, |
| In contrast however, a position statement on Volvo's | | | | the reduction of energy consumption by 50% per |
| website said, "Volvo is not opposed to nuclear | | | | manufactured unit and the no longer use of coal or oil |
| energy… Taking into account the climate | | | | for heating. |
| issue, our view is that nuclear energy is needed in the | | | | Volvo also stated its goals in powering all of its |
| energy system - perhaps even more nuclear power | | | | worldwide plants with the use of renewable energy |
| than today." | | | | sources. The company said that its truck plant in |
| Under the agreement between Volvo and Vattenfall, | | | | Ghent, Belgium, is actually the world's first vehicle |
| only Sweden is covered. The Swedish automaker | | | | factory to be totally carbon dioxide-free. Most of the |
| said, "We have agreed on receiving renewable | | | | plant's energy is being supplied by onsite wind |
| energy - nuclear energy is not renewable. The reason | | | | turbines and a biomass production facility. Some |
| we made this demand is to help bring other | | | | electricity is being provided by Electrabel from |
| alternative energy sources to the market. | | | | renewable sources. At present, the plant produces |
| Accordingly, the aim of the agreement is not to | | | | 40,000 truck units (equipped with quality Volvo floor |
| eliminate nuclear energy but to choose alternatives in | | | | mats and other genuine parts) annually. |
| an effort to increase the availability of renewable | | | | Volvo Trucks' Europe Division President Claes Nilsson |
| energy on the market." Thus, the company is still | | | | said, "We are fully aware of the environmental |
| eager to continue the use of nuclear-generated | | | | problems we have in the world today and we're |
| electricity outside Sweden. | | | | working to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide in |
| Volvo said, in its statement, "We would like to see | | | | both fixed facilities and from vehicles." |
| that a parliamentary commission is appointed with the | | | | "However, for practical and economic reasons it is |
| mission of investigating what the conditions are for | | | | simpler to make a factory carbon-dioxide free, |
| continued use of nuclear power - particularly taking | | | | something we achieved within a period of two years. |
| into account the fourth-generation." | | | | |