Page 47 - European Energy Innovation - summer 2019 publication

Summer 2019 European Energy Innovation 47
public transport infrastructure and
rolling stock. UITP was responsible
for monitoring the technological
concepts and dissemination of
the project. Concluding one year
ago with a final conference, the
project analysed 20 technological
concepts within 11 cities - and in
three thematic pillars. ELIPTIC was a
great example of working together to
create new concepts that work best
for the future.
At UITP, we’re also working on
E-LOBSTER, a project dedicated
to the optimisation of the energy
triangle composed by city energy
grid, the Public Transport power
network (metro, light rail transit) and
charging station (for bus and shared
cars mainly). It’s another pioneering
project that I know our team will
make a huge success.
The ZeEUS project, also coordinated
by UITP, was a flagship electromobility
project that focused its findings and
plans on electromobility in Europe
across a number of common themes
for electrified passengers cars, freight
vehicles and urban buses. ZeEUS has
given a boost to the clean (electric)
bus understanding and deployment
in Europe. It has helped stakeholders
to understand and work on the
challenges; and has been one of the
reference activities of the European
www.europeanenergyinnovation.eu
URBAN MOBILITY
Photo: © Metro De Madrid
Commission in the development of
the “Clean Bus Deployment Initiative”. In China, home to many of the
It is today followed by ASSURED that
is focusing on the upscale of eBus
fleets: interoperability of charging
solutions, high power for charging,
and smart charging.
Soon, UITP will launch a dedicated
platform to support interested city
stakeholders in the deployment of
clean buses. It was another example
of working alongside our global
membership to modernise for the
future.
As UITP works to advance our
cities, we must remain aware of
the fact that as urbanisation rapidly
increases, so do concerns about the
environment and air quality. With
these concerns come a growing
demand to produce more zero-
emission vehicles. The shift to
electric-powered vehicles is already
well underway in public transport
with electrification for more than
50% of metros and tram networks.
biggest bus manufacturers and
suppliers in the world, electrification
has developed at a great speed.
The Chinese market took the lead
in the transition to electric vehicles
following reports on air quality levels.
Now the country hosts the largest
fleets of electric buses in the world,
and continues to reduce air pollution
through policy changes and a growing
acceptance of a new sustainable
culture.
It’s clear that a great deal of research,
procurement, development and
advancements are being in the field
of electromobility and energy within
the public transport sector.
These technological advances are an
opportunity for efficiently combining
modes in urban areas, as cities that
deal with growing mobility demand
are seeking intermodal solutions to
reduce congestion and improve air
quality. I’m pleased that alongside our
international membership, UITP can
lead the way on this. Only by working
together through research and
intelligent debate, can our operators
and authorities continue to make
the necessary progress to produce
the best, cleanest and most modern
modes of public transport possible.
With those aims in mind, UITP
will always advocate for the many
benefits using public transport has
on our lives – making our cities more
liveable being top of that list. l