Tartu has no plans to abandon gas buses
Tartu has no plans to give up using its 64 biogas-powered buses despite rising prices, the council said on Thursday.
Due to rising prices, the city needs to look for additional funding and has already raised ticket prices.
Deputy Mayor Raimond Tamm estimated an additional €3 or €4 million is needed. He said predicting next year's budget is going to be difficult as it is hard to forecast prices today.
"Today, we have found the necessary funds in this year's budget," he said. "Public transport is a very important service and we have to find ways to keep public transport running."
Tamm said discussions have been held with Go Bus which operates public transport in Tartu and a plan is in place if prices increase dramatically.
In the coming years, Tartu will need to procure new buses but the city does not yet know which fuel will be chosen to run them off, said Oskar Vevers, Public Transportation Quality Manager at Tartu City Transport.
"We have thought about electric buses, but now there is a question about using hydrogen in buses. But this will be in 2029, so there is still time. Let's see what this technology can do here in the near future," he said.
Tartu is planning to be part of Estonia's hydrogen corridor in the future.
Alar Konist, professor of energy technology at Tallinn University of Technology said using hydrogen is not very likely.
"Today, there hasn't been much of a technological revolution," he told Thursday's "Aktuaalne kaamera". He said biofuels should not be ruled out as they can be locally sourced.
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Editor: Helen Wright