Changing Strategies: Tarragona City to Revise Transport Decarbonization Plan as Court Sets Precedent for Mixed Energy Fleet.
Municipal Transport Company of Tarragona (EMT) has scaled back its commitment to exclusively hydrogen-fueled buses in a strategic pivot following a court’s decision in favor of a hydrogen supply company appealing against the original tender. Initially, the city had foreseen an investment of 38 million euros in the acquisition of 35 hydrogen buses, to be included in the bus fleet and in the decarbonization strategy. However, this ambitious procurement was finally annulled through a resolution of the Catalan Court for Public Sector Contracts.
One local court concluded that the tender was flawed by the fact that it combined the purchase of buses into one contract. This decision has initiated the city to change its attitude towards the renewal of the fleet of 77 vehicles. It is the first proposal of this legislature under the current government, presided over by the Republican Left of Catalonia. It will indeed be very ambitious, as it plans to establish the transformation of public transport in Tarragona through the adoption of hydrogen technology.
A new approach, being the socialist Rubén Viñuales at the helm of the city hall in Catalonia, would see a more balanced line-up with hydrogen, electric, and biogas buses. The Mayor emphasized that diversity in the energy mix is the only way to ensure effective decarbonization of the city’s transport system. The strategy that is now under revision will, therefore, have the best practices followed by other European cities during their transitioning time to a greener public transport system.
But even if the setbacks be set apart, the funds set aside for the hydrogen buses will have not gone to waste. Part of the 38 million euros budget will be used on several renovations and initiatives related to the decarbonization of the fleet in the coming years. This includes the introduction of hybrid-energy buses in the category of improvements that are given to increase the environmental sustainability of the public transportation system in Tarragona.
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