International
Colombia: Bogotá is asked to include all clean fuels in its public transport
The Colombian Association of Natural Gas (Naturgas) requested the Mayor’s Office of Bogotá to include all zero and low emission technologies within the bidding stages to renew buses of the Integrated Public Transportation System (SITP), and thus guarantee a greater competition in the process while maintaining the city’s goal of improving air quality.
The association requests that, due to their air quality and environmental benefits as well as their high competitiveness for the city’s finances, Euro VI natural gas vehicles be allowed to compete in all stages of the tender that will deliver more than 3,000 new buses to the country’s capital city.
“Both the electric and the natural gas options have similar benefits in terms of the city’s air quality: emissions of 2.5 fine particulate matter, responsible for more than 3,000 deaths per year in Bogotá, are reduced to almost 100% with both technologies,” said the president of Naturgas Orlando Cabrales Segovia.
Using CNG allows to reduce fine particulate matter and SOx to nearly 100%, and NOx to more than 75%, which are the pollutants that most affect the air quality of a city. In addition, it represents a reduction of around 30% of CO2, compared to those generated by a diesel-powered vehicle.
On the other hand, according to the analysis made by the Economic Consultants firm, opting for electric fleets would imply raising public transport rates or allocating additional resources from municipal budgets to subsidize the service. However, migrating to natural gas vehicles would entail savings for users and the district of $309/trip for buses, $151/trip for standard buses and $207 for articulated buses compared to the electric alternative.