Creating an Environmentally Friendly Bus Service

Steve Newsome

EMTA General Meeting, Oslo

• The London bus network and its environmental impact

• Environmental challenges

• Environmental targets

• Understanding the impact

• The solutions

Contents

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Buses operate 24 hours per day, 7 days

a week

Network contracted by TfL from private operators

19,500 bus stops

8,700 buses

700 routes

6.5 million journeys per

week day

The London Bus Network

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Bus usage in London 1963-2014

4

Fleet Mix by Euro Standards + Years

5

Environmental Challenges

• EU Limit Values of 40 µg/m3 for NO2 and PM

• PM just below limit (though no safe level)

• NO2 is three times higher than limit value in some areas

• Mayor has targeted 60% reduction in CO2 by 2025 from 1990 levels

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Environmental Targets

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1,700 hybrid buses by 2016

All double deck buses operating in central London to be hybrid by 2020

All single deck to be ‘zero tailpipe emission’ (electric or hydrogen) by 2020

Ultra Low Emission Zone in central London by 2020

All buses to meet Euro IV standard for PM and NOx by 2015 to be met by retrofit of SCR and accelerating the uptake of Euro VI

Calculating the Environmental Impact of the Bus Fleet

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• We developed with Millbrook a ‘real world’ drive cycle based on Route 159 from Brixton to Oxford Street

• Every new type of bus is tested to ensure CO2, PM and NOx emissions meet our requirements

• Enables us to model the impact of the Bus Fleet on London emissions and predict the impact of interventions

Fleet Emission Trends 1997-2013

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7000

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1997 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

NO

x e

mis

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p

.a.

PM

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an

d C

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PM10 - Tonnes

CO2 - Kilotonnes

NOx - Tonnes

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NOx Abatement Retrofit £10 million funding (DfT/TfL) to retrofit 900 Euro III buses with

Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR)

• NOx reacts with ammonia over the catalyst and reduces it to nitrogen and water

• Technology approved for three bus types - Dennis Trident and Dart, Volvo B7

• Technology was proven on the three bus types over six months – in service performance was monitored

• Three suppliers – Eminox, HJS and Proventia have fitted systems to buses operated by seven different operators

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Euro VI roll-out

• Euro VI engines are equipped with Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR), Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR), Diesel Particle Filters (DPFs) and new legislation sets ‘real world’ emission limits

• Testing by TfL on three bus types demonstrates NOx emissions 95% lower than Euro V

• TfL is accelerating the roll-out of a Euro VI so that all buses meet a minimum of Euro IV standard for NOx by 2015 (PM standard already met)

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Biodiesel Pilot

• 120 bus pilot of B20 bio diesel at Stagecoach London’s Barking bus garage

• Sustainably sourced bio-diesel made from used cooking oil and animal tallow

• B20 chosen as is the maximum blend warranted by engine manufacturer

• B20 will have approximately 15% lower well to wheel CO2 emissions than mineral diesel

• TfL/GLA encouraging production facility in London / South East of England

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Short to Medium Term Strategy - Hybrid Buses

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The hybrid programme has spurred bus manufacturers to develop hybrid buses

- 1,250 hybrid buses now in service from four manufacturers

- 1,700 to be in service by 2016 (including 600 New Routemasters)

Emissions testing has shown a significant reduction in fleet average hybrid emissions compared to fleet average Euro IV:

30% reduction in CO2 21% reduction in NOx

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New Routemaster

New Routemaster with second generationhybrid technology demonstrates even moresignificant benefits

47% reduction in CO2 78% reduction in NOx

Flywheel TechnologyThe Williams hybrid system utilises a high

speed flywheel that stores energy (from braking for example) and releases the energy to aid vehicle propulsion

– Significantly lower cost – 20-30% CO2 reduction – 25 single deck buses going into

service this year with more planned– No zero emission capability

Electric, Plug-in Hybrid Bus & Induction Charging Trial

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• Two pure electric buses from BYD in service on route 507 and 521

• Six more electric buses from Optare going into service this year

• Up to four inductively charged hybrid buses going into service in 2015

Hydrogen Fuel Cell Buses

• Zero ‘tailpipe’ emission buses

• A fleet of eight hydrogen buses are in operation

• Aim to achieve operation as close as possible to diesel buses

• New maintenance and refuelling facility constructed within a standard bus depot

• Longer term strategy

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Emissions Projections

Conclusion

• Mayor’s targets and exceedence of air quality limit values are driving environmental improvements

• Strategy has three strands – operational improvments, retrofitting and new technology

• Euro VI and SCR retrofit will lead to a 20% reduction in total NOx emissions over the next two years

• Hybrids biggest contributor to emissions reduction with increasing emphasis on further electrication

• Electric and hydrogen buses offer potential to move to zero emissions policy in future