To fight increasing CO2 emissions from transport, the city of Warsaw aims to have one of the cleanest bus fleets in Europe and innovative charging facilities.
The Challenge
In Warsaw, CO2 emissions from transport increased by 34% from 2007 to 2012, while other sectors reduced their emissions. Shifting to e-mobility will be important in addressing environmental and climate challenges facing Warsaw.
The Solution
The City of Warsaw aims to deploy one of the cleanest bus fleets in Europe. By 2020, Warsaw Municipal Bus Company (MZA) will place 130 electric buses into operation together with cutting-edge charging infrastructure. Nineteen aerial chargers will be installed at selected ends of the bus lines, making it possible to reduce battery weight and thereby improve the environmental performance of the vehicles. Plans call for one-third of Warsaw's buses to be powered by clean technology, either electric, hybrid, or gas models, in 2020. The goal is for 25% of all buses to run on electricity by 2030. In the long run, the project shall assist the Poland-wide trend towards electric mobility, limiting risks related to CO2 emissions generated by fossil fuels consumed in the transportation sector. The project will also reduce local air pollutants such as NOx and SO2, which are generated by diesel buses, and reduce noise produced by standard vehicles.
Environmental Benefits – The shift to e-buses will improve air quality significantly by reducing NOx, SO2, and PM2.5 emissions.
Social Benefits – An upgrade of the public transport system will improve the mobility of all citizens in Warsaw, independently of income.
Economic Benefits – While the purchase price for e-buses is higher, the fuel costs are just one-quarter of that for diesel buses, resulting in an overall lifecycle saving of $3.5 million for 130 buses.
Health Benefits – After full implementation, the first 10 years of the project is expected to reduce environmental costs worth $42.9 million.
About Cities100
Presented by C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group (C40), Sustainia and Realdania – Cities100 2017 showcases leading solutions to urban climate challenges in five sectors: Energy, Waste, Adaptation, Mitigation and Transportation.
Available online and in print, Cities100 provides stakeholders an accessible format to explore achievable solutions for climate action in cities, and will be a useful tool for relevant groups ranging from impact investors and development organizations, to mayors and city governments. You can access the full Cities100 2017 publication online here.
- Benefits
- Economic
- Environmental
- Health
- Social
- Emissions Reduction
- 135,000 tons of CO2 reduced over a 10-year period by replacing existing diesel buses with e-buses