Emission-free fuel cell buses, which could help Beijing solve
its power shortage and pollution problems, began their rounds in
the city yesterday.
The three buses will run from 9?AM to 3?PM during
weekdays, following an 18.2 kilometre route through the northwest
suburbs, from the North Gate of the Summer Palace to Wudaokou.
The DaimlerChrysler buses were purchased with United Nations
grants to help China research and develop environmentally friendly
vehicles.
Altogether only 36 DaimlerChrysler fuel cell buses are running
worldwide.
"Today marks the first public operation of fuel cell buses in
Beijing. It is also the first ever in China," said Renaud Meyer,
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) deputy resident
representative in China, at the buses' launch.
The buses are powered by hydrogen fuel cells, which produce no
exhaust emissions.
A hydrogen refuelling station, to be fully operational this
summer, will also be the first of its kind in China, added
Meyer.
The buses are running under a demonstration project to show fuel
cell buses can be used commercially throughout the country, jointly
launched by UNDP China, the Ministry of Science and Technology and
other partners.
Meyer said they would not only reduce damage to the environment,
but also offer a new solution to shrinking fossil fuel
supplies.
"Through this project we can build a foundation for full-scale
commercialization of hydrogen fuel cell buses to promote
sustainable transport, use of renewable energy and cleaner air," he
said.
Three fuel cell buses will also be introduced in Shanghai late
this year, said Wang Ju, director of the demonstration project
office.
Wang said that, with international aid, Chinese scientists and
researchers would collect data on the buses' success to support
efforts to commercialize fuel cell technology.
Coal and oil, the two primary sources of air pollution,
constitute 90 per cent of China's total energy use.
The transport sector, which relies almost entirely on fossil
fuels, is expected to account for most of China's oil demand over
the next 20 years. It is predicted that by 2010, the percentage of
emissions from big cities will represent 64 per cent of total
emissions from all cities in China.
"That's why we must seek alternative fuel vehicles," said
Meyer.
(China Daily June 21, 2006)