CLINTON CLIMATE INITIATIVE SUPPORTS SEVERAL EUROPEAN ENVIRONMENTAL ALTERNATIVES
Former US President Bill Clinton’s climate initiative has chosen a number of European developments as its partner with regard to environmentally friendly public transport. Together with the Clinton Climate Initiative, these solutions can contribute to reducing carbon dioxide emissions pursued by 40 of the world’s large cities. On December 3-5, representatives of the 40 cities will meet in London to discuss solutions to the climate impact from transports.
Slightly over a year ago the Clinton Foundation launched the Clinton Foundation’s Climate Initiative (CCI). The foundation is working to reduce harmful greenhouse gases. Among the efforts is a partnership with the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, an association of 40 of the world’s large cities. Together, they are trying to find solutions that can reduce carbon dioxide emissions, including those of the transport sector. The C40 Large Cities Climate Leadership Group consists of: Addis Ababa, Athens, Bangkok, Beijing, Berlin, Bogotá, Buenos Aires, Cairo, Caracas, Chicago, Delhi, Dhaka, Hanoi, Hong Kong, Houston, Istanbul, Jakarta, Johannesburg, Karachi, Lagos, Lima, London, Los Angeles, Madrid, Melbourne, Mexico City, Moscow, Mumbai, New York, Paris, Philadelphia, Rio de Janeiro, Rome, São Paulo, Seoul, Shanghai, Sydney, Toronto, Tokyo and Warsaw.
CCI has noticed Volvo’s efforts with hybrid buses and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and has consequently signed an agreement with Volvo. CCI will apply its knowledge and its contacts in the 40 cities to show the potential offered by the hybrid technology and BRT system with regard to reducing carbon dioxide emissions. Bus Rapid Transit is one of the most effective ways of reducing carbon dioxide emissions. With separate bus lanes, buses with high passenger capacity and smart bus stops, an efficient, bus-based transport system can be achieved. Among the 40 CCI cities, several already have BRT systems, such as Bogotá, Colombia and Mexico City. Other alternatives from Volvo Buses are it’s hybrid buses, which provide fuel savings of up to more than 30 percent, and biogas buses.
“We all know that we will have to manage without any fossil fuels in the future. Today, we already offer a gas bus that can be run on biogas. Biogas has the major advantage that it is largely produced solely from waste products such as sewage sludge. No fresh raw materials are needed, meaning that it does not compete with other cultivation.”
Second European development supported is the Siemens ELFA hybrid system, using the combination of two different energy systems to reduce energy consumption and emissions. The flexibility of Siemens' ELFA(R) modular and highly efficient hybrid drive systems allows the combination of nearly all common energy sources and storages. The ELFA system synchronizes the two power systems via its power electronics to optimize the energy flow, resulting in up to 40 percent less energy consumption and CO2 emission as well as quieter and more comfortable and reliable operation. Siemens supplies its ELFA systems to bus manufacturers, who install them into vehicles and sell the complete bus to the transportation authorities. In the last ten years, Siemens has installed over 1,000 systems in over 30 different projects around the globe.
Third manufacturer selected is Scania, whose ethanol-powered buses are regarded as one of the best available solutions for reducing carbon dioxide emissions from urban traffic. Scania has close to 20 years of practical experience in the supply of ethanol-fuelled buses. Now the third generation ethanol engines is being introduced, engines that are also being adapted for use in distribution trucks. Compared to a conventional diesel engine, net carbon dioxide emissions are reduced by up to 90 percent if the engine is running on ethanol produced fro sugar cane, for example. Ethanol buses are now being tested by a number of cities in the C40 Group, which include for example cities as Madrid, Melbourne, Beijing and São Paulo.
