The Danish regional public transport authority Movia has received a grant of EUR 1,119,000 from the ELENA facility for technical assistance to prepare a transition of parts of the fleet of buses and ferries operated under the responsibility of Movia from conventional fuels to electricity. Movia is the Public Transport Authority (PTA) in East Denmark including the capital area of Copenhagen. Movia is owned by 45 municipalities and 2 regions.
The ELENA TEBB project runs from fall 2017 to fall 2021, and must result in investments at least 10 times the size of the received ELENA grant (leverage factor 10). So far, the project has realized investments in electric buses and boats resulting in a leverage factor 45.
Investment programme – ELENA TEBB project:
| Activity | Tender process | Deployment | Volume |
| Electric buses in Roskilde | 2017-18 | April 2019 | 20 electric buses |
| Framework contract for charging infrastructure in urban spaces | 2017-18 | 2019-26 | Depends on demand |
| Zero emission harbor buses | 2017-18 | January 2020 | 7 electric boats |
| Zero emission buses in Copenhagen and other parts of Zealand | 2018 | december 2019 | 56 electric buses |
| Zero emission buses in Copenhagen and other parts of Zealand | 2019-21 | 2020-23 | up to 200-250 buses |
The ELENA grant covers costs of external experts and/or staff to help prepare and implement the investment programme, like:
- Movia staff expenses affiliated with tendering of e-bus services, charging infrastructure in urban spaces and electrification of harbor buses
- Legal advising
- Feasibility studies
- Technical support for setting up tender requirements of harbor bus services
- Technical assistance for optimal placement of charging infrastructure in urban spaces
- Study on impact on local air quality from diesel heaters in e-buses (needed for decision-making purposes)
- Translation of tender documents
- Etc.
EIB/ELENA contributes with a maximum 90% of the total eligible costs.
Besides the investments in electric buses and boats, Movia is obliged to carry out a number of activities within competence building and dissemination of the outcome of the project.
About the ELENA facility
ELENA (European Local Energy Assistance) is a joint initiative by the EIB and the European Commission under the Horizon 2020 programme. ELENA provides grants for technical assistance focused on the implementation of energy efficiency, distributed renewable energy and urban transport programmes. Within urban transport and mobility ELENA support investments in the use and integration of innovative solutions for alternative fuels in urban mobility along with investments to introduce on a large-scale new, more energy-efficient transport and mobility measures in urban areas.
Movia experienced a smooth application process, which took less than a year from the initial dialogue with the EIB to the EC approval of the application.
For information: Mr per Gellert