Debrecen4U September 2, 2024

Electric garbage trucks can transport waste in Debrecen

Debrecen will receive a grant from HUMDA PLC to purchase 2 + 1 optional waste transporters for a pilot project. The aim of the “Electric Waste Carrier Sample Project,” supported by the Ministry of Energy, is to gain experience in public waste management services that will enable the widespread use of electric waste collection vehicles in the future.

The vehicles must be operated for one year after purchase, and the beneficiaries must share the practical experience. At the end of the pilot period, the beneficiaries can keep the vehicles, and the project will be maintained for four years. In addition to the Municipality of Debrecen, the project involves the Municipality of Paks and the Szabolcs-Szatmár Bereg County Solid Waste Management Association.

CEO of HUMDA, Dr. Virág Mészáros, said that the company’s primary mission was to bring sustainable and green energy closer to everyday life, with mobility being a significant area. As she explained, to achieve carbon neutrality, it is essential to introduce green and clean transport with zero emissions at the local level, where public transport and heavy vehicles have a vast untapped potential. She pointed out that 12 new Mercedes-Benz eCitaro electric buses had already been purchased under the Green Bus Programme in public transport, managed by HUMDA and implemented by DKV, contributing to greening the city.

Managing Director of STP Technic Ltd., Róbert Stelli, presented the waste collection vehicles to be produced at the event. He said that over 40% of all electric refuse collection and trucks and heavy goods vehicles sold in Europe are Volvo Group vehicles. So far, nearly 1,300 trucks have been sold, and more than 700 employees work for the Volvo Group on developing these vehicles. He pointed out that electric trucks had covered 24.9 million kilometres in 16 countries, resulting in a reduction of 31,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.

The coordinating director of A.K.S.D. City Management Ltd., Miklós Piskolczi noted that electric vehicles have been tested and operated in the city since 2016 in cooperation with the University of Debrecen’s Faculty of Technology and Elektromega Ltd. He mentioned that the experience shows that savings of 60-70% in fuel energy consumption could be achieved, depending on the length of the test periods and the type of waste.

During the project presentation, Deputy Mayor of Debrecen Ákos Balázs emphasised that the new electric vehicles currently being used in the city operations are evidence that Debrecen is a leader in electromobility.

“At the beginning of the municipal term, we adopted the new concept of city operations, one of the most important elements of which was the introduction of electric vehicles and devices in city operations due to the focus on environmental aspects. Debrecen was the first city in Hungary to launch the Green Bus Programme and currently has one of the largest electric bus fleets. We are already using electric garbage trucks, electric vehicles, and equipment, which have been introduced in park maintenance. Seven of the floats at the Flower Carnival were electric,” the Deputy Mayor said.

He emphasised environmental protection’s utmost importance to the city’s administration and that the measures would significantly reduce the amount of pollutants released into the air, and the vehicles would emit 690 tonnes less CO2 over the five years of the project than diesel vehicles. “These efforts have been reinforced by the recently adopted Green Codex, which was prepared by professors and staff of the University of Debrecen and members of the Green Working Group with a scientific background, and which has an important message for the development of electromobility in Debrecen,” he added.

The Deputy Mayor also mentioned that in recent years, excellent cooperation has been established with HUMDA. Most recently, a hydrogen-powered bus was used in Debrecen and for the first time in Hungary. “Expressing gratitude to HUMDA for their collaboration, we will continue to strive to bring innovative, forward-looking and environmentally friendly mobility solutions to Debrecen in the future,” Ákos Balázs stressed.