Why Ethanol powered buses?

Scania Ethanol powered vehicles have been operating successfully throughout Sweden for at least 5 years, so it is a tried and tested technology, in fact most buses used in Stockholm are powered by ethanol.

Ethanol powered buses are a similar cost to buy as a diesel powered vehicle.

The ethanol powered Scania ‘omnilinks’ have the very latest engine technology and are to a higher standard than Euro 5 emissions standard. In fact they are to the higher EEV (Enhanced Environmentally friendly Vehicle) standard!

Where will the ethanol come from?

The initial delivery of ethanol fuel for the trial has been sourced and ordered from Sweden and comes from the waste products of the Swedish paper and pulp industry. The wood used in these industries is also from sustainable forestry (FSC - Forest Stewardship Council guidelines).  

The use of wood to produce ethanol is believed to be one of the most energy efficient and sustainable methods of ethanol production. During the ‘ecolink’ trial the life cycle costs of wood will be assessed and the use of locally grown sugar beet and wood will be considered.

What are the benefits of ethanol?

Its renewable!
The burning of ethanol does release CO2, but an equal amount of CO2 is absorbed while growing the plant/wood to produce the ethanol.

Ethanol produces up to 90% less CO2 compared to diesel. Research indicates that up to 30 tonnes of CO2 per year will be saved per bus.

Ethanol will also produce less particulates for example soot, which are damaging to health.

Ethanol powered vehicles will aslo produce less Nitrous Oxide (NoX) another greenhouse gas.

The purchase of ethanol improves energy security by reducing the dependence on oil from the Middle East.

Where has the money come from?

Nottingham City Council successfully secured £520k capital funding from emda to purchase 3 ethanol (95%) powered buses and the ethanol fuelling station. Nottingham City Transport will provide the staff and operating resources, for the service 30 from the City through Radford and Wollaton which will trial the ethanol buses.

emda’s funding is subject to the buses being used on an 18-month trial where the technical, environmental, business and customer impacts of the ‘ecolink’ project will be assessed.  

Did you know?

• We are the 1st in the UK to use ethanol powered buses!
  Ethanol buses are already in operation in Sweden, Spain, Poland and Italy delivering significant reductions in CO2, NoX and particulates over their lifetime!
• The engines on the ecolink buses are the cleanest and the greenest in the UK.
  Most buses have Euro 3 engines, some even have Euro 4 engines to lower emissions even more. In the UK very few have Euro 5 engines which are sparklingly clean. These ecolink buses are even cleaner than Euro 5, they have an engine that is EEV standard (Enhanced Environmentally-friendly Vehicles).
• All transport accounts for 25% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions.
  This trial of ethanol buses is to assess the merits of ethanol in reducing the environmental impact of the transport sector in Nottingham.
• Scania buses are between 88% and 90% recyclable
  These buses are mainly made using high-grade alluminium and plastics which can then be recycled
• up to 90% less CO2.*
  It would take 2499 trees a whole year to absorb the CO2 this bus would have made if it wasn’t running on the climate cool fuel - ethanol!
  * this figure is based on each tree absorbing 12kg per year - UNEP Nov 2006