Public transport is going electric! “There are barriers but no reluctance from public transport operators to introduce renewable energy“. UITP Secretary General Mohamed Mezghani and WindEurope CEO Giles Dickson sat in one of STIB-MIVB‘s new fully-electric busses.

STIB-MIVB is operating public transport in Brussels. They are shooting for 40% less greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. They have signed a wind energy PPA and have installed 5500 solar panels on their premises.

But there are barriers to public transport going fully green:

For wind – permitting for new wind farms slowing the roll-out of wind energy
For public transport operators – the need to install new charging infrastructure and increase awareness, particularly about the options for smaller players to source green energy – such as aggregated power purchase agreements (PPA).

How can we solve these challenges?

– Forging new partnerships between transport and renewable electricity suppliers
– Raising awareness that renewables are cheap and are vital to the decarbonisation of transport – look at the great examples of Nederlandse Spoorwegen, Deutsche Bahn, and RATP Group
– Signing more Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) between wind and transport

Watch the highlights of their conversation below