Shanghai to Put Clean Energy Buses on Roads

Shanghai to Put Clean Energy Buses on Roads

November 15, 2007

UNDP and MOST Launch Project to Commercialize Fuel Cell
Technology and Promote Sustainable Transport to Reduce
Pollution 


    SHANGHAI, Nov. 15 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Starting in
2009, Shanghai will put on its roads a new fleet of hybrid
clean energy fuel-cell buses (FCBs).

    (Logo:
http://www.xprn.com/xprn/sa/20061107113358-34-min.jpg )

    This was announced today at an event to launch the
fuel-cell bus commercialization project between the United
Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Ministry of
Science and Technology (MOST), supported with US$ 5.6
million from the Global Environment Facility (GEF). The
project will focus on technology transfer to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution through
widespread commercial introduction of FCBs in urban areas
of China. 

    Besides the demonstration of FCBs on Shanghai's roads,
this project will support Fuel-Cell Vehicle (FCV) and FCV
related technical standards and governmental policies to
further support the development of the related industry. 

    "Fuel Cell Vehicles are one of the important
technologies for future development of the automobile
industry in China," said Wan Gang, Minister of MOST,
at the launch.

    Fuel-Cell Vehicles have low emissions of air pollutants
such as carbon dioxide and main greenhouse gas causing
global warming. "Not only will the buses serve to
reduce the burden on the global climate change, they also
offer a new solution to reduce the dependency on imported
oil and also reduce air pollution impact on human
health," said Kishan Khoday, UNDP Assistant Country
Director in China. 

    Early in June 2006, UNDP provided three FCBs, now on
the streets of Beijing, running smoothly during weekdays
and following an 18.2 kilometre route through the northwest
suburbs. In Beijing and Shanghai, public buses are among the
main contributors to air pollution.

    Besides bringing the fuel buses to Shanghai, the
project will especially focus on the research of the FCB
value chain and the related policy studies, including
setting up a knowledge base to analyze technical issues and
design of a national roadmap for the commercialization of
FCBs in China. 

    "UNDP is committed to issues of sustainable
transport and support progress through technology transfer.
Through this project, we hope to integrate sustainable
solutions like FCBs into urban planning and engaging the
role of innovation in the private sector," said
Khoday. 

    To facilitate the new FCB fleet and other FCBs
developed in Shanghai, facilities including a hydrogen
refuelling station will become fully operational under the
project. 

    Background

    In its recently launched 11th Five-Year Plan for Social
and Economic Development, the Chinese government identified
alternative fuels as a potential area for growth. The
Chinese market plays an important role when it comes to
mass commercialization of technologies such as fuel cells
vehicles and other clean energy vehicles. 

    Coal combustion and oil consumption are the two primary
sources of air pollution in China, and constitute 90% of the
country's total energy use. As China is now the largest bus
producer and public transportation consumer in the world,
the transport sector, which relies almost entirely on oil,
is facing the challenge of developing clean and
environmental friendly vehicles.

    UNDP fosters human development to empower women and men
to build better lives in China. As the UN's development
network, UNDP draws on a world of experience to assist
China in developing its own solutions to the country's
development challenges. Through partnerships and
innovation, UNDP works to achieve the Millennium
Development Goals and an equitable Xiao Kang society by
reducing poverty, strengthening the rule of law, promoting
environmental sustainability, and fighting HIV/AIDS.   

    http://www.undp.org.cn




    For more information, please contact: 

     Ms. Zhang Wei
     Communications Officer
     UNDP China 
     Tel:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail]