Introduction

Natural gas is one of the most used alternate fuels. With three garbage trucks with the CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) propulsion, there started an ecological project on replacing the diesel propelled technical vehicles with the ecologically propelled vehicles.

Objectives and target audience

The main aim of this ecological project is to gradually replace the diesel propelled vehicles that are used for collecting garbage and cleaning streets with the ecologically propelled vehicles and so reduce the emissions and lower noise in traffic.  Apart from the ecological propulsion, these vehicles are equipped with the dust catcher for the particulate matter (PM-10).  The main target of this project is the reduction of the CO2 emissions. Compared to using the diesel-propelled vehicles we should lower the CO2 emissions by about 20%.

Financial Resources and Partners involved

The price of a compressed natural gas vehicle is higher (compared to diesel propelled vehicles) – about 1 mil.  CZK, but the operating cost of CNG is half of the costs of petrol and diesel so the recovery of investment is guaranteed.  The keeper and operator of these vehicles, that is Pražské služby, a. s, cover the common price of a technical vehicle.  The second part of the price overlapping this level is financed by the City of Prague.  So far it has contributed to the purchase of three garbage vehicles and two cars for the street servicing and cleaning with the using of CNG.  The other partner of this project is Prague Gas Utility Company (City of Prague is the majority shareholder of this company).

Process

During this ecological project the City of Prague should contribute to the process by replacing the non-ecological vehicles with these new ones that are favourable to the environment in the next years. By the end of 2010, more CNG propelled vehicles should be purchased and delivered. So the main task is counting with the amount of the budget in the relevant department of the Prague City Hall on the basis of the application from the keeper and the approval of the Prague Council.

Results

As mentioned the key result should be significant decreasing of the CO2 and further NOx, CO and HC emissions in the area of the centre of the City of Prague, which is the most polluted area in Prague and where these cars will be mainly used.  The plan is to decrease the value of NOx emissions by about a half and the value of CO emissions and HC emissions by about a quarter.  The other results are lower noise in traffic and catch the unhealthy particulate matter (PM-10).  The outcome will be stronger because the fuel oil consumption of the old vehicles is approximately 50 L/ 100 km during the slower drive in the streets of the City.  The CNG consumption per 100 km of the new cars is 55 kg x 1,4 = 77 m3 of CNG.

Critical Success Factors / Challenges

Planning and looking for the financial resources is necessary in the first place.  There were a couple of negotiations on financial resources among the partners.  Out of these, the cooperation with the Union of Gas was particularly important.  The costs of the construction of the filling station are covered by the Prague Gas Utility Company.  The City of Prague contributed to the purchasing of the vehicles.  Education is necessary in order to transfer this approach to another municipality or organization and the support from the European Funds would be the motivational issue.