DOHA: Qatar will have more “green” buses on its streets very soon, with Mowasalat planning to introduce 60 new buses fuelled by compressed natural gas (CNG) by the end of this year.
In late last year, the company launched its first CNG bus in a pilot project, in line with directives of the Emir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani for utilisation of CNG as a fuel in Qatar’s transport sector.
Mowasalat’s Chairman and Managing Director Jassim Saif Al Sulaiti (pictured) said yesterday that the company is working on a project to establish a base to promote the use of clean energy in the transport sector and convert more vehicles to use CNG.
The cost of CNG buses is high due to employing the most advanced technologies in their production and Mowasalat is planning to reduce the cost to levels similar to that of ordinary buses, he added.
CNG is considered a green fuel as it considerably reduces emissions of greenhouse gases. CNG vehicles are quieter compared with diesel vehicles and contribute to reducing noise pollution. CNG is also cost-effective, bringing economic benefits to end users, and is sustainable and effective alternative to petroleum refined products.
The use of CNG is growing worldwide at an annual rate of 20 to 25 percent, with much of growth in the public transport sector as governments are increasingly looking for a fuel that is more eco-friendly as a substitute for diesel and petrol.
“As a leading company, we seek to utilise Qatar’s abundant clean energy. Mowasalat is working to establish a base for the significant development of this project which will be implemented soon.
“We are also taking important measures related to our next plan to convert vehicles to use CNC in a first-of-a-kind initiative in Qatar. We look forward to operating more and more CNG vehicles,” said Al Sulaiti.
Ahmed Busherbak Al Mansoori, Mowasalat’s Executive Director, said the company was cooperating with Qatar Petroleum (QP) in promoting the use of CNG in the public transport sector.
“Through our fleet of buses and operating expertise, we look forward to providing a sound base for a successful CNG pilot scheme that could be expanded to cover other sectors and applied in various transport means in Qatar,” he said.
As per directives of the Emir, the first CNG fuelling station was inaugurated in the small and medium industries area in the Industrial Area.
Mowasalat provided eco-friendly buses for the UN Climate Change Conference in Doha last year. These green buses are a model for vehicles utilised in large events.
They accommodate large numbers of delegates and feature high-quality technology.
The Peninsula
