THE Swedish based company, Scania is in the process to introduce in the country buses using natural gas as a source of energy.
The product is just one part of the company’s commitment to ensure they shift the transport industry to a sustainable.
Speaking in Dar es Salaam yesterday, Scania Tanzania’s Managing Director, Mr Lars Eklund said in Dar es Salaam yesterday that the buses can achieve lower operation costs that benefit passengers in term of lower ticket prices, income for the government to sell local natural gas.
“Tanzania has huge reserves of natural gas and needs thousands of city buses for the bus rapid transit (BRT) system which Scania can deliver,” he said.
He said that the CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) driven buses come equipped with a green Euro 6 compliant engine that reduces the CO2 up to 20 per cent.
The same engine can also run on locally produced biogas to reach a CO2 reduction of as much as 90 per cent. Euro 6 is the name given to a set of limits for harmful exhaust emissions produced by virtually any vehicle powered by petrol or diesel engines.
Mr Eklund further said the buses fitted with these engines produces less particles and lower emission in the air and is very efficient in term of fuel consumption.
According to him, as Tanzania is working toward more industrialised it is important efficiency becomes key and that the environment is not forgotten along the process.
The Company’s Marketing Manager, Ms Eliavera Timoth said the company is seeking to cooperate with higher learning Institutions to offer scholarship to students that are pursuing studies related to CNG.
“This will increase the number of technicians and professional in that field and this increase support to customers that operate the busses,” she said.
She said they have consulted with other stakeholders including Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) and they confirmed our gas is clean and can comply with the engine.
