Bio-buses join public transit system in Vaasa, Finland
Twelve biogas-fuelled buses join the City of Vaasa’s public transit system this week. Using eco fuel created from food leftovers and waste water, the buses will help bring the city’s public transit carbon dioxide emissions to almost zero.
On Tuesday, the west coast city of Vaasa’s bus refueling biogas station was inaugurated.
For the moment, the 12 biogas buses leased by the City of Vaasa to the tune of 3 million euros, will use liquefied natural gas.
However, within less than a month, they will run on biogas produced by the Stormossen regional waste management company.
Stormossen is the country’s first such firm to create biogas from biomass outside of the natural gas network.
All 12 buses to join fleet
There are currently 6 of the 12 biogas-powered buses on the streets of Vaasa. All 12 will be taken into service this week.
“They’re good to drive, not so different from diesel buses, but perhaps the motor is slightly quieter,” says Vaasa’s Public Transit head Mika Joki.
The new buses will use biogas created from the city’s food waste and wastewater. The biogas buses will reduce the amount of diesel needed to run the city’s public buses by 280,000 litres a year. Their carbon footprint will be in the same range as buses that use windpower.
Vaasa’s planning chief Pertti Hällilä says the emissions produced by buses will be significantly reduced by the biogas buses.
“In practice, our emissions will be close to zero,” says Hällilä.
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: Driving on the ice road in Canada’s Northwest Territories, Eye on the Arctic
Finland: Vaasa, Finland set to roll out biogas-fueled buses, Yle News
Norway: Norway reaches 50,000 electric cars sales, The Independent Barents Observer
Sweden: Wireless charging of electric cars tested in Sweden, Radio Sweden
United States: High temperatures sink vehicles traveling ice roads in Western Alaska, Alaska Dispatch News
