According to a UITP report published in 2011, buses account for 50-60% of the total public transport offer in Europe, and 95% use diesel fuels. However, a wide range of alternative fuels and technologies, at different levels of technical and market maturity are now available for bus operators. If CO2 emission and local pollution targets are to be met it is clear that alternative vehicle solutions must be found. When purchasing buses, public authorities and operators of public transport services are obliged to follow the conditions laid out in the Clean Vehicles Directive (2009/33/EC), by taking into account energy consumption, CO2 emissions, and other harmful emissions (NOx, NMHC and particulates). In addition, all new bus models sold on the market since 1 January 2014 must meet the stringent Euro VI standards for harmful emissions. More information on implementing the Directive, and relevant European legislation can be found on the Clean Fleets website — http://www.clean-fleets.eu. This Report has been produced by the Clean Fleets project consortium (see end of document for list of partners), and aims to document some of the experiences of European local authorities and public transport operators in operating buses running on alternative fuels and technologies. The report is based on: * Existing reports on different fuel/technology options (see references throughout) * Interviews with public authorities/fleet operators (see list of contributors at end — just names and organisations) * Comments and direct input from other experts in the field (see list of contributors at end just names and organisations) The report is aimed at providing a review of potential fuels and technologies available for buses, including relevant strengths and weaknesses, as a reference document for local authorities and public transport operators. Technological and market developments in the alternative vehicles sector are happening very rapidly. Furthermore, many factors influence the most appropriate choice of fuel and technology. As such this document cannot and does not aim to provide a straightforward recommendation of one fuel/technology over another. This document tries to synthesise some of the main conclusions from relevant reports, and document experiences from individual authorities. The document presents an initial overview of some of the main factors which influence the choice of alternative technology/fuel type. It then provides a more detailed overview on each fuel/technology. The most mature technologies are dealt with at the beginning, progressing to the less mature technologies at the end. The document aims to indicate where information relates to trials or regular operation. The document aims to cover the main fuels and technologies currently available in commercial or trial form in Europe. (Author/publisher)
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