Baltic Biogas Bus

The aim of the project

One of the cornerstones of the EU Baltic Sea Strategy is to make
the region more environmentally sustainable. The comprehensive
picture that will emerge as the result of the Baltic Biogas Bus
project will demonstrate the economic and environmental benefits
of biogas as a renewable fuel that contributes to make public
transport an even stronger part of the solution of global environmental
problems.

Biogas production technology will be studied and the regional
potential for biogas production will be estimated with the aim of
securing the supply of biogas in the region.

The analysis will cover:

• the technological solutions for distribution of biogas and
  adaptation of bus depots and planning of regional
  infrastructure;
• the specifications of biogas bus requirements to bus
  constructors;
• the actual experience of biogas buses operation and the
  report on subsequent emissions.
  Recommendations are foreseen, they relate to policies, strategies
  and an enabling financial framework to support the introduction
  of biogas buses. Recommendations will culminate in the drafting
  of a manual on “How to introduce biogas buses”.

A strong emphasis will be put on communication and information
on and about the project. Seminars, mid-term conferences and
final conference are planned. An informative newsletter first issue
has been published.

The project consortium reflects the diversity among partners

Partners of the project include SL public transport authority of the Stockholm region,
and RUTER the transport authority of Oslo region, the city of Tartu (South Estonia), Riga city council traffic department, Kauno Autobusai one of the leading public transport companies in Lithuania, Biogas Öst a new regional organisation promoting bio-methane in mid eastern Sweden, HOG (formerly Hordaland Oil and Gas) a coordinating body for activities involving energy in Hordaland (Center-West Norway) and Skyss (owned by Hordaland county authority, VTT the technical research centre of Finland, ITS Motor Transport Institute a leading scientific institution in Poland, ATI erc GmbH a regional development agency for high-tech and innovative companies and projects in North-East Germany and the ITC - Innovation and Trend Centre - which is the technology centre of the community of Bentwisch near Rostock (Germany).

Progress made by the project are promissing

A Baltic Biogas Bus regional seminar was held in conjunction with the biannual Nordic
Biogas Conference, 10 to 12 March 2010 in Oslo. A partner meeting was held 21
September in Kaunas, the program included topics such as biogas bus emissions and
life cycle cost issues.

Dr. Juozas Savickas, head scientific officer at the Laboratory of Renewable Energy of
Lithuanian Energy Institute, held a presentation about production of biogas from organic
waste and its usage in Lithuania from economic and environmental perspectives. Two
others seminars were held in Saint-Petersburg 25-26 November and Riga 1 December.

Among interesting reports so far are:

• a draft report on a strategy on how to introduce biogas driven buses in Public
  Transport by SL Stockholm;
• a feasibility study for a new long term and sustainable transport plan by Tartu City
  council;
• a study to investigate the possibilities of using landfill gas from the Tveta waste
  (handling facility plant south of Stockholm) to upgrade and use as fuel in buses;
• a study concerning supply and demand of biogas in the eastern region of Sweden.

The web site, www.balticbiogasbus.eu, provides more information notably
on the upcoming events during the winter such as regional seminars dates and
registration procedures.