Groningen, Drenthe, and South Holland will each have new hydrogen buses in their public transport system by 2021. A total of 50 new buses will be introduced in the Netherlands. Right now, there are only 8 hydrogen buses in the country.
How much does the project cost?
The cabinet and the three provinces have officially signed an agreement on November 20, 2019. This project will cost a total of 15 million euros, where half of it is funded by the European Union. The cabinet and the provinces each put forth 3.75 million euros. The costs for maintaining the upkeep and making sure they run smoothly lies with the provinces.
Making Dutch public transport more eco-friendly
According to Bright, all public transport in the Netherlands are not allowed to emit CO2 from 2030. They are slowly transitioning to a more sustainable future where they have 500 emission-free buses. However, that’s a mere 10% of the total number of buses in the public transport system. These emission-free buses are mostly electric.
Hydrogen-electric vehicles might be the future because they are able to travel long distances on just one tank. They are also more durable than other types. “Hydrogen really has the future when it comes to heavy means of transport such as buses and trucks,” says minister Stientje van Veldhoven.
Although the infrastructure to support more hydrogen-powered vehicles in not extensive, Minister Stientje van Veldhoven is hopeful that it will improve. With these many buses coming in, he hopes that there will be more people wanting to have hydrogen filling stations. The Netherlands currently has only 8 gas stations that provide hydrogen.
Do you think the government can do more to encourage hydrogen-powered vehicles? Let us know what you think in the comments below!
Feature Image: Phillip Capper/Flickr
Hydrogen could be the best fuel to replace fossil fuels for road vehicles, probably other modes of transport too. It’s unlikely, though, to be cryogenic hydrogen due to its inherent storage and handling difficulties. Team Fast is just one group researching other hydrogen-based compounds that could provide the cleaner transportation we need. https://teamfast.nl/technology/