Promoting emission-free mobility is a declared goal of the state government. In cooperation with the EU, it has approved two further projects for fuel cell vehicles.
In terms of mobility, the state wants to promote locally low-emission and clean drive technologies and launches a “hydrogen offensive”. To this end, the state government has approved today (12 November) on the proposal of the Council of State of Agriculture Daniel Alfreider two projects. Alfreider emphasizes: “With the support of the EU, we want to increase the promotion of battery and fuel cell technologies in all sectors of South Tyrolean mobility and build up the necessary infrastructure.” By using clean energy sources, the government wants to develop South Tyrol into a model region for sustainable alpine mobility – “with benefits for citizens and the environment,” the state councilor said.
Tap clean energy for drives
Precisely because mobility consumes a great deal of energy , innovative technologies can tap clean energy and reduce carbon dioxide emissions, according to Alfreider. The state government has taken two further steps in this direction with the approved EU projects JIVE and MEHRLIN . Both projects include the purchase and maintenance of twelve new electric fuel cell buses (JIVE) and the implementation of the associated refueling and logistics infrastructure (MEHRLIN).
For the purchase of the twelve electric fuel cell buses , the financing share of the EU amounts to 200,000 euros per vehicle. The remaining 650,000 euros per vehicle contributes to the country. Furthermore, the maintenance of the twelve electric fuel cell buses will incur costs of € 648,000 per year over the next eight years.
For the construction of the associated refueling and logistics infrastructure at the depot of SASA, the EU plans a funding share of 750,000 euros. The remaining 1.350000 euros financed the country. In total, South Tyrol is investing 14.3 million euros in the two EU projects.
The projects JIVE and MEHRLIN are being implemented in cooperation between the state, the in-house company of the country “Städtischer Autobus Service AG” ( SASA ) and the hydrogen center IIT in Bolzano.
Investment in zero emission
In the implementation phase, the EU project LIFEalps, which was already approved in December 2018, is currently also in the process of being implemented. With this project, South Tyrol will be equipped with the necessary infrastructure for battery and hydrogen vehicles. So by 2025 as many vehicles with zero emissions are on the way. In addition, the project is also intended to expand the fast-charging network of battery vehicles and motorbuses, and to open additional hydrogen filling stations and to expand rental vehicle fleets. Six out of 13 battery-powered electric car fast-charging stations have already been installed, with the remainder following in the spring.
A total of around 22.6 million euros will be invested in the LIFEalps project . SASA is the main project sponsor and the energy company Alperia , the Vinschger Energy Consortium VEK , Stadtwerke Bruneck , the South Tyrol Transport Structures AG STA , the European Academy EURAC and the Brenner Motorway Company A22 with a total of 7.8 million euros. The EU funding amounts to 7.9 million euros.
In driving with fuel cell technology
All in all, fuel cell technology bundles forces in the country: The Department of Mobility and Infrastructure and the Department of Environment and Energy have used a ” H2 Team South Tyrol” for further planning last week with the approval of the state government , as Alfreider reported today “we intend to invest in this technology, together with the other partners: . South Tyrol has its enormous hydro power , enormous potential this clean energy to better use at the regional level for mobility and transit solutions.” South Tyrol is represented in the H2 teamIn addition to the two ministries, the IIT, the EURAC, the State Agency for the Environment and Climate Protection, the Innovation Department and the A22. The group will develop a H2 strategy for South Tyrol.
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