BackgroundBiogas made from wastewater or solid biological material is the cleanest vehicle fuel that is commercially available. There are almost no hazardous emissions at all and very little green house gases. Producing and using Biogas as a fuel is a way to drastically reduce the vehicle emissions and can also reduce the waste problem and increase the competitiveness of rural society. Biogas is suitable for city fleets as it is normally available in all cities, from the water treatment plants. Using it in a fleet means that no extensive fuelling infrastructure is needed, which makes it possible and suitable to introduce it step-by-step.
Basic factsThe City of Gothenburg is a pioneer in operating buses and taxis on natural gas. In the mid eighties Gothenburg installed a natural gas grid and a few years later started to operate the city bus fleet and the municipal fleet on this.
Through ambitious campaigns, information and incentives like free parking and a priority taxi line, also taxis and some private companies have changed to natural gas vehicles.
In 2001 Gothenburg required the bus operators to use gas buses, increasing the amount of renewable fuels each year. This led to the concept “Green gas ” which by the city’s definition means that customers may choose to pay a small amount extra when fuelling natural gas. The same amount biogas as they fuel will then be inserted in the cooking gas grid.
Users and stakeholdersThe main buyers of “Green gas” are the public transport and the municipal fleet. Also some environmentally concerned companies and private citizens buy “Green gas” while very few taxis do.
Fordonsgas Väst, the distribution company for vehicle natural gas administrates the system and buys the injection amount from Göteborg Energi, the municipal energy and waste water company.
Technical descriptionGothenburg produces biogas from sewage, mixes it with air and feeds it un-purified into the cooking gas grid. Once the purification plant is ready, the upgraded biogas is fed into the vehicle gas grid.
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Implementation set-upA strong political ambition was necessary to implement the incentives for AFVs.
The city’s requirement on the bus operators is a necessary driver for the green gas-concept, as biogas is slightly more expensive than natural gas.
Ambitious and decisive employees at the traffic office have set a long-term objective to slowly increase the number of AFVs and the selling of Green gas.
Future prospectsSoon, more “green gas” will be sold than can be injected in the cooking grid. Hence Gothenburg will open up a purifying plant in the next year and inject upgraded biogas in the vehicle gas grid.
More information on this initiative on the NICHES website and on www.miljofordon.se.AuthorJonas Ericson
Contact project coordinator in Polis coordinator
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