The innovative “hybridization” products that will be designed and developed in the frame of BUS2GREEN project, are expected to constitute an important technological asset for the companies InDigital and PowerSales (commercial utilization of the project results) as well as to make important contributions towards the electrification of road-based urban public transportation in Greece, Europe and third countries (target group of this project). The proposed interventions are estimated to permit “hybridized” thermal buses to achieve up to 20% reduction of fossil fuels consumption and a corresponding equal reduction in greenhouse gases emissions (thus achieving environmental / energy performance comparable to that of new hybrid buses). Therefore, BUS2GREEN facilitates the development of green transport, the reduction of greenhouse gases emissions, the reduction of urban transport costs and the increase of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) share in gross final energy consumption. Therefore, BUS2GREEN is in line with the goals set by European 2030 climate & energy
framework.
Main activities for the “hybridization” of existing public buses are the design and development of various systems that harvest or recover energy (from renewable resources, exhaust gases and the gravity of the passengers) within the buses, while driving and when stationary (utilizing applied and technologically mature industrial solutions). Additionally, a Smart Energy Management system will be responsible for the optimal use of the produced energy. This system will communicate with a network of bidirectional converters (installed in predefined locations, e.g., terminals or places where buses are parked) allowing energy transactions between the “hybridized” buses and the electric grid (charge and discharge of the buses batteries).
Additionally, the proposed “hybridization” scheme can also be applied (in whole or in part) to actual hybrid or purely electrical (battery powered) buses, contributing to considerable energy savings and a consequent increase in their energy autonomy. The proposed actions also facilitate the development of the necessary infrastructure (by developing smart and flexible bidirectional converters / chargers for the interconnection with the mains – which can be applied at any type of electric-powered bus) for the smooth reception of new, purely electric buses.