RVK receives funding for 108 hydrogen-powered fuel cell hybrid buses.
The Federal Climate Protection Act, which was passed by the German Bundestag in June 2021, sets a high goal. Greenhouse gases are to be reduced by 65% by 2030 compared to 1990. In this context, the promotion of alternative drives in the area of local public transport has been defined as an essential part of the transport sector.
The funding commitment by the Federal Ministry for Digital Affairs and Transport to the RVK thus means a sustainable breakthrough towards climate-friendly local public transport in the very large area of the RVK and towards its goal of ZERO EMISSIONS by 2030.
RVK Managing Director Dr. Marcel Frank expressed his thanks in view of the possibilities that are now available: “With a total of 160 fuel cell buses, we will soon be able to offer emission-free public transport for a large part of our traffic area. It makes a big difference to operate selectively or to be able to plan a sensible, comprehensive infrastructure. Our thanks go to the Federal Ministry for this.”
He symbolically handed over the funding decision to Stephan Santelmann, the chairman of the RVK supervisory board, during a joint meeting at Cologne’s Rheinauhafen. Santelmann is also the district administrator of the Rheinisch-Bergisch district.
The project is funded by the Federal Ministry for Digital Affairs and Transport as part of the BMDV’s Bus/Rail funding guidelines. The funding guideline is coordinated by NOW GmbH and implemented by the project management agency Jülich (PtJ). Specifically, the decision provides funding of 33,888,000.00 euros.
A very large package, with which 79 hydrogen-powered solo buses will be purchased in the first procurement phase and 29 hydrogen-powered articulated buses in the second phase. The procurement of articulated buses is currently still heavily dependent on availability on the market. In the fourth quarter of 2022, the first vehicles will probably be able to be tested by the RVK. On the other hand, according to the current status, the first 20 solo buses from the support package may be delivered to the RVK in December 2022.
Stephan Santelmann draws a mental arc between the year 2020, the current status and the upcoming plans: “It’s not for nothing that the RVK has the slogan “We move the region”. After the beginnings in 2011, the actual basis for hydrogen in line operation was laid in 2020, the foundation was laid in 2022 and in the next three to five years the RVK target of ‘ zero emissions by 2030 ‘ could become reality with further future-oriented large-scale projects.”
Emission savings and advantages of hydrogen-powered fuel cell hybrid buses:
Hydrogen-powered fuel cell hybrid buses score in many respects. They cause hardly any emissions locally. In addition to the greatly reduced noise emissions, this means, for example, no emissions of NO x (collective term for gaseous oxides of nitrogen) and CO 2 (carbon dioxide).
Here are some comparative figures for the RVK fleet (calculation basis and emissions are based on the limit values of EURO VI buses):
- The 52 hydrogen-powered solo buses currently in regular service at RVK save 4.45 tons of NO x and 2577.93 tons of CO 2 per year with an average annual mileage of 50,000 km .
- The 108 buses to be integrated under this funding commitment by 2025 will save or avoid 9.96 tons of NO x emissions and 5777.45 tons of CO 2 , including the articulated buses.
- With 160 fuel cell vehicles, this is a total of 14.41 tons of NO x emissions and 8355.38 tons of CO 2 .
The comparison with the year 2010 is also clear. This is based on the entire RVK vehicle fleet across all locations: 308 vehicles (descending according to the then usual EURO standard EEV, EURO III, EURO IV, EURO II) have an average 50,000 km annual mileage and approx. 40 l average consumption per bus emitted 215.53 tons of NO x and 16,192.7 tons of CO 2 .
But the hydrogen buses are also impressive in terms of their operational efficiency, especially in regional transport with their very good range and their short refueling time, which is comparable to that of a diesel bus. The distribution of the first 79 vehicles is in accordance with the assignment by the RVK shareholders with 31 vehicles for use in the Rheinisch-Bergisch district (RBK), with 35 buses in the left bank of the Rhine-Sieg district (RSK) and with 13 vehicles for the city bus cities Brühl, Hürth and Wesseling are planned in the Rhein-Erft district.
Background information:
The RVK, with its administrative headquarters in Cologne, renders its services in the area around Cologne and Bonn. With their authorities and shareholders, they are among the hydrogen pioneers. The city bus cities of Hürth and Brühl have been involved since 2011 and since 2020 the Rheinisch-Bergische district and the Rhein-Sieg district on the left bank of the Rhine, and now also Wesseling. Since then, the zero-emission vehicles have also been used on the routes to Cologne and Bonn.
RVK currently uses five filling stations in its traffic area. These are two of our own in Wermelskirchen in the RBK and in Meckenheim in the RSK, a gas station owned by the RVK shareholder Stadtwerke Hürth in Hürth and two public gas stations from other operators at Cologne Bonn Airport and in Frechen. In addition to the existing systems, further hydrogen filling stations, including RVK’s own filling stations, will be added at all locations.
Thanks to the support of the RVK shareholders, the initially visionary project was implemented in several stages, with the use of two prototypes in 2011, two pre-series vehicles since 2014, the addition of 35 Van Hool series vehicles in 2020 and 15 Solaris Urbino 12 hydrogen fuel cell buses in 2022 developed to date:
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RVK RECEIVES Funding FOR 108 HYDROGEN-POWERED FUEL CELL HYBRID BUSES, source
