The circulation of vehicles is one of the most important causes of environmental pollution in large cities. Spanish cities are no exception, and the need for more sustainable means of transport is increasing every day. Both private vehicles and public transport systems generate emissions harmful to the air, in addition to producing noise pollution, congested traffic and a lower quality of life for urban dwellers.
The answer: Sustainable urban planning and green public transport
In recent years, several Spanish cities have taken important measures to address these problems. Through planning and urban planning policies, sustainable urban planning, municipalities seek to promote the public transport as an efficient and ecological solution, reducing the use of private cars and opting for less polluting bus fleets.
Eco-friendly buses: Types and evolution in Spanish cities
In many cities across the country, the expansion and use of eco-friendly buses, vehicles that use alternative energies such as biodiesel, natural gas, hydrogen and electricity. These buses contribute to reducing the carbon footprint and improving air quality in cities. The case is especially relevant in cities such as Valencia, Santander, Madrid, Bilbao, Pamplona y San Sebastián, where buses that use the biodiesel As fuel.
Likewise, cities like Málaga y Barcelona have made progress in the inclusion of hydrogen fuel cell buses y electric buses in their fleets. Tests with hydrogen buses, such as the Biogreenfinery project in Gran Canaria, provide valuable data on the long-term viability of this type of transport. These buses, with a range of approximately 400 km per charge, are connected to fast charging stations that allow refuelling in just 10 minutes.
On the other hand, cities such as Barcelona have also stood out for the implementation of hybrid buses, which combine a combustion engine with an electric one, achieving significant reductions in CO2 emissions. Cities such as Almería and Alcorcón have become national benchmarks by having more than 30% of their fleet with ecological buses.
Transport electrification initiatives
The case of the Madrid is particularly important. Madrid has the largest fleet of electric buses in all of Spain and has already electrified more than 28 bus lines. It is expected that by 2025, 25% of the entire bus fleet in the capital will be completely electric. These efforts are supported by the Next Generation European funds, which provide significant resources for the acquisition of zero-emission buses and for improving the charging infrastructure.
Madrid also relies on fleets of compressed natural gas (CNG) buses, a technology that offers lower emissions and is already implemented in a large part of its urban territory. In addition, other capitals such as Barcelona and Seville are integrating fast charging points on public roads using pantograph systems, which allow ultra-fast recharges in just 6 minutes.
The objective is clear: to transform cities into sustainable and healthy spaces by implementing clean technologies that guarantee more efficient and quieter transport.
Hydrogen as the fuel of the future
The Canary Islands' experience with hydrogen buses is not the only one we can find in Spain. In cities such as Madrid, tests are also being carried out with hydrogen buses, a fuel that only produces water vapour in its combustion process. This type of bus has been integrated into pilot projects that seek to demonstrate its effectiveness, especially in areas with high demand for public transport and where the charging infrastructure is more complicated to install for conventional electric buses.
Impact on emissions reduction
The use of electric and hydrogen buses not only contributes to the reduction of polluting gas emissions, but also significantly improves air quality. Each electric bus can save up to 88 tons of CO2 per year and reduce consumption by up to 33.000 liters of fuel diesel.
Cities such as Barcelona and Malaga are also implementing specific solutions that involve installing ultra-fast chargers for electric buses at key locations in the city, allowing them to make long journeys without emissions. These measures also entail huge economic savings for transport operators, who are already beginning to see the benefits of electrification at the level of operational costs.
Additional benefits for cities
The adoption of eco-friendly buses not only has a direct impact on air quality and the reduction of greenhouse gases. It also mitigates other problems such as noise pollution and the heat generated by conventional buses. Larger cities, including Madrid and Barcelona, have already begun initiatives that aim to phase out internal combustion buses altogether in the coming years.
The use of smart charging technologies also allows transport operators to optimise energy use, ensuring that electric buses are always available during peak times. Endesa and other energy companies have been key in this transformation, enabling the adaptation of urban infrastructures for the charging of these vehicles.
A cleaner and more efficient future
All these initiatives reflect the commitment that Spanish cities currently have with the future of urban mobility. In fact, the European Commission is committed to ensuring that, by 2030, all cities in the European Union will have fleets of buses that are completely zero-emission in their cities.
Spain is taking significant steps in the right direction, leading the transformation with both public and private investments that contribute to making its cities more liveable, sustainable and pollution-free. With the expansion of charging infrastructure, the use of alternative energies and a clear focus on electrification, green public transport is already a reality in many of our cities.