Transport Decarbonisation and Energy Independence – More Relevant Today Than Ever!

Last week, on 2 April, we hosted the think tank discussion "Charging and Refuelling Infrastructure – How Can We Overcome the Barriers?", where we focused on the development of public and private charging infrastructure and the challenges facing its expansion.

"The war in Iran serves as another reminder that the goal of energy independence remains the right one—perhaps even more so than ever before," emphasized Armands Gūtmanis, Head of the Sustainability Cluster, following the seminar.

For Latvia to achieve genuine energy security, the country must be capable of producing both biofuels and electricity for its transport sector. The electrification of heavy-duty transport is becoming particularly important, as the sector will require substantial electricity capacity in the future.

During the think tank discussion, continuing the work on heavy-duty transport decarbonisation that began last year, we once again confirmed that:

🔹 Coordinated cooperation is needed between the national government, municipalities, electricity distribution operators, transport companies, energy providers, vehicle dealers, insurers, and other stakeholders.

🔹 The efforts of the Ministry of Climate and Energy and the Ministry of Transport in planning the use of European funding are a welcome and important step.

🔹 Active involvement from the private sector and coordinated action are essential to accelerate the transition of heavy-duty transport to zero-emission solutions.

For this reason, the Sustainability Cluster proposes the establishment of the "Mobility 2030" platform—a regular think tank where businesses and public institutions can work together to discuss the necessary next steps, coordinate actions, and accelerate Latvia's transition to sustainable mobility.