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| City of Amsterdam uses hydrogen technology in boats and buses | ||||||
| "Fuel-cell buses are the future," says Amsterdam Alderwoman Carolien Gehrels (GVB). | ||||||
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In Amsterdam, a number of boats and buses are running on hydrogen for some time now. The big advantage of these vehicles is that they are environmentally friendly. These are so-called "zero emission vehicles": absolutely no emissions of harmful substances such as CO2 occur. The trials are being carried out on a small scale but can count on a lot of support from both government and business.
Fuel-cell buses
The municipal transport company (GVB) has been running three fuel-cell buses for three years now, without any harmful emissions occurring, as part of its regular service. It considers this form of electric transport as the future. By using light materials to build the buses and enabling the storage of braking energy, for example, they have created the ideal bus: no harmful exhaust gases, little noise and very low fuel consumption. The trial of the municipal transport company's hydrogen bus is being extended by a year and will therefore continue in Amsterdam until January 2008.
Hydrogen boats
Recently, a consortium of Dutch companies has also agreed to develop and build a hydrogen-fuelled boat. In addition to the boat, the consortium will also site a filling station in the Amsterdam-Noord city borough on the IJ river. This consortium consists of 5 companies: Alewijnse, Integral, Linde Gas, Marine Service Noord and Rederij Lovers. To develop the first boat plus the filling station, they obtained a subsidy from the Ministry of Economic Affairs. The City of Amsterdam (Amsterdam-Noord city borough) has also contributed financially to the start-up costs.
"This step is a fine example of the innovative vigour of the Dutch knowledge industry and a breakthrough in the field of sustainable energy," says Hauke Sie of Fuel Cell Boat. "The development and construction of this hydrogen boat is taking place in close consultation with the government bodies, research institutions and companies involved".
It is possible that the boat will be cruising through the canals of Amsterdam later this year. During the rush hours in the morning and afternoon, the boat will transport Shell employees from the Central Station in Amsterdam to the company, which is situated on the other side of the IJ. "The purchase price of the 'green' water bus is higher than that of a normal water bus," says Hauke Sie of Fuel Cell Boat, "but the final price will not be double that of an ordinary boat. It is also possible to operate such a boat on competitive terms with a traditional diesel-powered boat.''
Air Quality Action Plan
"The exhaust gases from motorised transport are still the biggest cause of air pollution," says Alderwoman Marijke Vos (Environment). "A lot of measures are being introduced that are intended to lead to less and cleaner traffic in the city. Making vehicles cleaner by such means as fitting soot filters to diesel engines is an important measure. In time, a ban on very dirty heavy goods vehicles will also have a great impact. And of course we need more vehicles running on hydrogen!"
The Amsterdam College of Aldermen has initiated an Air Quality Action Plan. The plan comprises fifty measures for improving Amsterdam's air quality. For example, the City of Amsterdam's own fleet of vehicles will be made cleaner and civil servants will learn how to drive in a more environmentally friendly way. Goods transport in Amsterdam must be cleaner and more efficient, which is to be achieved by such means as loading more cargo on the trucks and making them use different routes.
For more information on this press release please contact
Spokeswoman Meriam Juthan
Government of Amsterdam
T +31 20 552 2619
For specific information about hydrogen boats please contact
Spokesman Hauke Sie
Fuel Cell Boat / Integral
T +31 20 630 4333
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