Eco buses in Venice Lido and Pellestrina Islands

Location: Venice, Italy

Population: 19,599 (Venice Lido and Pallestrina)

Climate: Humid subtropical

Duration: 2018 – 2021

Sector: Transport

Funding sources: Public

City networks: C40

Savings: 2,200 carbon emissions a year.

Solutions: By 2021, the Venice Lido and Pellestrina Island transportation systems will be entirely electric; in this regard, 30 eco buses will replace diesel buses.

Multiple benefits: Carbon dioxide (CO2) reductions.

Objective – To electrify the Island transport system of Venice Lido and Palestrina .

Solutions – Since 2018, the City of Venice has been implementing a program to minimize pollution and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions caused by public transportation. The city can introduce electric “eco-buses” on the islands of Venice Lido and Pellestrina with the support of planned interventions by AVM S.p.A. and ACTV S.p.A. (the local in-house public transportation company). This solution will help to fill the requirement for traditional diesel vehicles to be replaced.

The project entails the procurement of 30 electric buses and installing 15 charging stations (9 rapids, 6 slow, and 4 transformer cabs). The recharging will ensure a travel limit suitable to the islands’ transportation demands (70 km/day).

The eco-buses are supplied with battery packs having a range of 70 kilometres per day that are guaranteed for seven years and 15,000 charging cycles.

Funding – The city will spend approximately 28 million euros on the described modern and environmentally sustainable transportation infrastructure. The European Fund for Strategic Investments, the European Investment Bank, the Ministry of Transport, and other local donors will provide loan benefits.

Innovation – These innovative and smart buses offer a seating capacity of 88 passengers, 27 seats, and two seats for individuals with disabilities. Users can also find  USB connections, free-on-board WIFI, an info monitor, and audio-video circuits that allow passengers to follow the journey stop by stop via audio messages and visual graphics.

Success factors: Technical aspects. Large battery packs aren’t required. Buses will be fitted with 116 kWh batteries (with a range of no more than 100 km/62 miles). The electric buses for Venice will be powered by a drive axle with two 125 kW integrated electric motors. Solaris High Power batteries with a total capacity of 116 kWh will store the energy required to power them. The manufacturer will adjust the vehicles to allow for recharging with a plug-in battery charger and a quick supply of energy via a pantograph mounted on the roof at the customer’s request [source].

Significant outcomes:

• Annual emissions of CO2 by 2,300 tons;
• The program will also help reduce compounds related to public road transport.

Synergies with local policies:

• Delibera di Consiglio n.29 del 30/04/2020. The City Council of Venecia accepted the Municipality of Venezia’s membership in the Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy, a global movement aimed at local governments that spontaneously pledge to address the climate crisis’s pressing issue. With a target of cutting CO2 emissions by at least 40% by 2030, primarily through enhanced energy efficiency and the utilization of renewable energy sources;
• The Climate Action Plan lays out the mitigation and adaptation measures that will be implemented to meet the goals above and the deadlines and duties that will be given (source).

Political alignment:

• Italy’s Integrated National and Energy Climate Plan. It aims to increase the share of renewable energy sources in the transportation sector’s ultimate gross energy consumption by 22% by 2030, among other targets (the base year 2020) (source).
• National Energy Strategy, which spans two time periods (2020 and 2050), focuses on considerably improving the competitiveness and environmental sustainability of the energy sector. The NES proposes long-term objectives for the year 2050. The following are a few of the most important: A significant growth in electrification, which is expected to nearly treble by 2050, reaching at least 38%, primarily in the electricity and transportation sectors (source).

Marketability: It is essential to focus on the funding component and the battery packs’ technical aspects to scale these kinds of projects.