Ljubljana introduces first hydrogen-powered buses

Slovenia's capital plans to make its public transportation carbon-neutral by 2030. With that aim in mind, the Ljubljana bus company LPP has introduced first three hydrogen-powered buses to its fleet.

The new buses signal the start of a new era, LPP deputy director Rok Vihar told the inauguration ceremony, CE Report quotes The Slovenia Times.

"This milestone can be compared to the introduction of trams or trolleybuses in the past. We are moving to a completely new way of powering buses," he said.

The new buses are not just carbon-neutral but also zero-emission, as they only emit steam.

Over the next five years, the LPP is planning to add a hundred zero-emission buses to its fleet, including hydrogen-powered ones.

Vihar admitted state co-financing makes it is easier to pursue the goal of carbon-neutral public transportation.

Minister of the Environment, Climate and Energy Bojan Kumer, who was also present for the ceremony, said municipalities received €40 million from the Climate Fund in recent years to purchase zero-emission buses and vans.

"Last week we published a new call worth €45 million, which will enable municipalities to place new orders for zero-emission vehicles," he said.

With transport still the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Slovenia, Kumer said action is needed today to achieve climate neutrality by 2045.

The exterior of the new hydrogen-powered buses has a pattern of "climate stripes" to show what is happening to the planet, thus raising public awareness of global warming.

Photo: Nebojša Tejić/STA