The hydrogen buses of the Municipal Transport Company (EMT) of Palma have been put into operation this Saturday with the transfer of RCD Mallorca players to the Mallorca Estadi Son Moix and the reinforcement of lines L8 and L33. In a press release, the City Council of Palma has reported that the EMT Palma has put into operation on Saturday the five hydrogen buses that had been inactive for almost two years due to lack of fuel.
On the occasion of the match between RCD Mallorca and RC Celta, the red team has made the journey from the concentration hotel to the Mallorca Estadi Son Moix in one of the buses specially vinyl-wrapped for the occasion with the club’s shield, the iconic figure of Dimonió, and the motto ‘Tots al partit en transport públic’. In addition, during the match, an informative clip about this initiative and its implementation has been projected on the scoreboard.
These buses have started their operations this afternoon reinforcing lines L8 and L33, which usually transport fans to Son Moix and back after the match on the day RCD Mallorca plays in Palma. The Mayor of Palma, Jaime Martínez, has had the opportunity to thank this afternoon the CEO of Business of RCD Mallorca, Alfonso Díaz, for the team’s involvement and commitment to a cleaner and more efficient sustainable mobility before the start of the match.
In this meeting, shared with the club’s mascot Dimonió, were also present the Deputy Mayor of Mobility, Toni Deudero, the Director General of Mobility, Antonio Román, and the Manager of EMT Palma, Juanjo Elías. The hydrogen buses will operate on Line 10 (Sindicat – Son Castelló), one of the lines with the highest number of users. EMT Palma is also studying to increase frequencies on other lines, as several buses that used to run this line are now available.
The circulation of these five hydrogen buses has been possible two years after their acquisition by the previous municipal government team, when the Lloseta plant started producing green hydrogen. In addition, the bidding and contracting of said supply had to be carried out, an essential administrative process that was pending and has been prepared and executed by the current municipal government team.
DOWNLOAD OF GREEN HYDROGEN AT THE EMT GARAGES
In recent days, hydrogen has been injected into the five buses through a dispenser or hydrogen station, also bid and contracted in this legislature. The complete discharge to the buses lasts an average of 15 minutes. In addition, the vehicles had to pass the ITV for legal requirement and carry out a subsequent dry run – without passengers.
Thus, at the Lloseta plant, hydrogen is loaded into trucks at a pressure of 300 bars, for its subsequent transfer to the logistics station of Palma. These platforms have a capacity of about 400 kilos. Since each of the buses consumes about 25 kilos daily, the service for a full day of work is guaranteed in principle.
PURCHASE OF ELECTRIC BUSES
With the commissioning of these hydrogen buses, Palma continues to advance towards the true achievement of a zero-emission bus fleet. At this point, in early March, the EMT ratified the framework agreement between PP and Vox for the purchase of 113 electric urban buses.
This framework agreement includes a total investment of 98 million euros over a four-year period, during which 67 buses of 18 meters and 46 of 12 meters will be acquired. The goal is for Palma to have more than 50% of its fleet electrified and 100% green by 2027, and for bus electrification to lead to a 100% zero-emission fleet by 2030.
ECO/EMT PALMA CENTER
As a complement to the acquisition of the 113 electric buses, the project of the new ECO/EMT operations center in the Son Rossinyol industrial estate will be developed. The new center will position the municipal transport company of Palma as a benchmark in electrified infrastructure, placing sustainability at the center of its operations.
This ECO/EMT Center will be the perfect complement, according to the City Council, to the current garages and will be located on a municipal plot of 29,325 square meters in the Son Rossinyol industrial estate. It will have 108 inverted pantographs to charge buses and charging equipment to power the pantographs, as well as photovoltaic panels and facilities for personnel.
The forecast is that the works can start in 2025 and be completed between late 2026 and early 2027.