Truck and bus supplier Scania South Africa believes that ethanol-powered buses can be a viable option for greener transport in South Africa.

The company is pursuing biogas, ethanol and biofuel ventures in South Africa, Scania Bus & Coach national sales manager Roberto Virgili said at the Transport Forum’s Month of Transport celebrations event, held at the University of Johannesburg, in October.

He said the company took on the challenge to introduce an ethanol bus into the South African market and that it had been involved in securing locally produced ethanol since the beginning of the year.

“We have delivered a ethanol-powered bus to the City of Johannesburg and this unit has been running successfully since mid-2010,” said Virgili.

He explained that the ethanol for its green bus was supplied by local ethanol producer Silversands Ethanol, based in the North West.

He noted that the company could guarantee a backup supply of ethanol for about 25 buses and that this could, in future, ensure sustainability for green ethanol-powered buses.

“South Africa can make ethanol work; we have the technology and resources to pursue sustainable transport,” he said.

Further, Scania has been producing ethanol bus engines for nearly 20 years. These engines are based on diesel combustion, which uses ED95 ethanol fuel that is produced by Silversands Ethanol.

Virgili explained that an ethanol-powered vehicle was slightly more affordable than a gas- powered vehicle. “With a few small technical changes, a diesel engine can be converted into an ethanol engine, whereas a gas vehicle requires a specialised high-pressure tank, which is more expensive,” he said.

The company presented its first green bus, which is a low-entry city commuter bus, operating on ethanol that will reduce fossil carbon dioxide emissions by up to 90% in 2007.

In addition, the Scania group delivered 85 ethanol-powered buses to Stockholm’s regional public transport operator, Nobina, in Sweden, last year.