GAZPROM Germania GmbH and Solbus bring natural gas buses to the streets of Warsaw
GAZPROM Germania and Polish bus manufacturer Solbus are bringing natural gaspowered public transport to the streets of Warsaw with their recent launch of 35 LNG buses.
GAZPROM Germania, Solbus, and distribution partner Lider Trading won a public tender issued by Warsaw’s municipal transport company MZA Miejskie Zakłady Autobusowe sp. z o.o. in November 2013. GAZPROM Germania is both supplying the LNG for and providing for the refuelling of an initial group of 35 state-of-the-art urban buses supplied by Solbus. The companies previously launched Europe’s first 11 LNG city buses in the Polish city of Olsztyn in October 2013.
“Natural gas-powered buses both emit significantly fewer pollutants than comparable diesel buses and have motors that are significantly quieter, which is particularly welcome in the inner city. That’s why we and our Polish partner Solbus want to convince more customers of the benefits of natural gas for transport”, says Timo Vehrs, Director of Business Development at GAZPROM Germania GmbH.
The city of Warsaw stands to benefit from using LNG, which is an environmentally friendly and cost-effective alternative fuel for public transport. “Natural gas-powered buses are a very tangible solution for eco-friendly public transport in Warsaw. Natural gas is considerably cheaper. Using natural gas also makes us less dependent on oil”, says MZA spokesperson Adam Stawicki.
Natural gas is used as a motor fuel in liquid form (LNG) at temperatures of between -161°C and -139°C. LNG has the same environmentally friendly characteristics of compressed natural gas (CNG), which is already established as one of the most promising alternatives to ever-increasing petrol and diesel prices and cuts CO2 emissions by up to 25 %.
GAZPROM and its partners are working on a number of projects promoting the use of natural gas for transport. GAZPROM is also investing in the infrastructure necessary to operate natural gas-driven vehicles throughout Europe. GAZPROM Germania plans to be operating 35 natural gas filling stations around Germany by the end of 2015, and is working on improving CNG and LNG filling station infrastructure in Poland, Czech Republic, and Slovakia.
source:GAZPROM GERMANIA
