Cities in Europe have made rapid strides in deployment of clean buses (Euro VI, electric, hydrogen-fuelled, hybrid and alternative fuel buses) for public transport in the last few years.

The European Commission’s amended Clean Vehicles Directive, which entered into force in August 2019, sets binding targets for public procurements of clean buses by 2025 and 2030 and expands the definition of clean buses. The Directive states that 50 per cent of the minimum target for the share of clean buses has to be fulfilled by procuring zero-emission buses. The Connecting Europe Facility, aimed at decarbonising transport in Europe, was awarded EUR700 million in funding in 2018. The European Union also launched a new programme for fuel cell buses - the H2BusEurope scheme that involves the deployment of 600 hydrogen buses and infrastructure.

Many cities in the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Poland, France, Germany, Italy, Macedonia, Switzerland, Sweden, Iceland, Estonia, Romania, Austria, Spain, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Norway, Belgium, Belarus, Portugal, Luxembourg and Demark have launched pilot projects, introduced new fleets and awarded key contracts for the purchase of clean buses. Nationwide programmes and funding commitments have also been announced in several countries. Initiatives to launch electric and autonomous buses have also been taken.

The Netherlands has been a frontrunner with electric buses accounting for a 15 per cent share in public transport buses. By the end of 2018, there were 360 electric buses operating in the Netherlands and by the end of 2019 the number had already increased to 770. This number was planned to be increased to 1,400 electric buses by end-2020.

These efforts of cities, countries and the European Commission are expected to increase the offtake of clean buses, with electric and hydrogen-fuelled buses accounting for 40 per cent market share by 2025 and nearly 60 per cent by 2030. In the next few years, transit agencies and operators will replace older bus fleets to meet the targets of a clean, decarbonised and climate neutral bus fleet.

COVID-19 has not adversely impacted the segment. During January-June 2020, contracts for supply of 1,037 buses were awarded in Europe. Of these, 950 buses will be clean buses. Transit agencies in Germany, Romania, Italy, Lithuania and Poland also invited bids for the supply of the clean buses.

There are lessons to be learnt from the cities that have deployed clean buses and an exchange of experiences is crucial. In addition, cities have major plans for deployment of clean buses and these present significant opportunities for manufacturers and suppliers. In light of these developments and opportunities in the segment, Global Mass Transit (GMT) is organising a virtual edition of our 3rd annual conference on Clean Buses in Europe on September 30-October 1, 2020.

Mission

The mission of the conference is to focus on the progress and opportunities in the deployment of clean buses in the region. It will explore policy initiatives, nationwide programmes, city-level commitments, relevant experiences, recent developments, best practices, issues with large-scale deployment and lessons learnt, and provide information on formulating urban strategy plans, as well as on procuring, financing, operating and maintaining clean buses.

The conference will bring together policymakers, transit agencies, city government officials, OEMs, bus manufacturers, suppliers of bus components, technology providers, energy providers, charging solution suppliers and battery manufacturers, funding agencies, multilateral development banks, consultants, researchers and academicians. It will cover a range of clean buses and solutions. Examples will be provided for large, medium and small transit agencies.

The two-day virtual conference will have 12 targeted sessions, panel discussions and case studies, with participation from a wide range of international experts providing valuable insights and actionable advice. The agenda will cover plans of cities for deploying clean buses in Europe. It will also highlight the latest technological developments and solutions to improve customer experience.

The conference will also help understand the role governments, transit agencies, operators, manufacturers and consultants can play in deploying clean buses in a city or region. Besides, it will provide insights into the offerings of leading manufacturers and suppliers.

There will also be a dedicated session on the experiences of leading cities in deployment of clean buses. This will provide an opportunity to learn how to deploy clean buses and charging/fuelling infrastructure, mobilise funding, and manage stakeholder expectations.