The groundbreaking initiative funded by the European Union, the PAREMPI project has launched a measurement campaign to unravel the true extent of exhaust emissions from heavy-duty vehicles in challenging winter conditions. The two-week campaign, spanning from Tampere to Lapland, kicked off on 4 March 2024, with a focus on evaluating emissions from heavy-duty vehicles through comprehensive measurements of gases, particles, and biological effects.
The project, led by Principal Scientist Päivi Aakko-Saksa from VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, aims to shed light on secondary particulate emissions, particularly those formed after exhaust gas dilution in the atmosphere during cold and dark winter conditions—conditions whose impact on emissions is still not fully understood.
“The measuring instruments are built in a shipping container that is placed in the semi-trailer of the truck, which has required a lot of planning,” says Anssi Järvinen, VTT. “We are excited to be able to bring more information and insight into the impact of winter conditions on emissions in cooperation with top experts.”
The initiative is expected to provide valuable insights for policymakers, authorities, and scientists working to combat air pollution and enhance air quality in Europe. The long-term goal of the campaign is to produce data that could be instrumental in reducing traffic-related smog across the continent.
Key Highlights
- two weeks of campaign spread between Tampere and Lapland
- two rented trucks: Renault (new) and Scania (old)
- two types of diesel fuel tested (fossil and renewable diesel fuel)
- instruments installed in FMI’s measurement container
- organised by VTT, Tampere University and Finnish Meteorological Institute with other partners involved including BOSMAL, Institute of Experimental Medicine – Czech Academy of Sciences and Magellan Circle
