Planes, trains, automobiles and buses riding high on gas

Buses and Coaches

For travellers in the city or the country, the local bus service is the most common and popular form of public transport in Ireland. Carrying many thousands of passengers every day to work, school, hospitals, gyms and shopping centres from early morning to late at night. While buses run on local routes, coach travel operates on an intercity network that connects the country’s largest towns and cities.

The bus and coach industry continues to develop, as a sector driven by exacting standards of service, comfort and safety, customer demands are now driving change. Many operators have already implemented upgrades to the fleet to attract new passengers and make the experience of bus travel more appealing, such as air conditioning, free Wi-Fi, CCTV and USB charging points. However, as concerns for climate change rise, the general public is seeking eco-friendly alternatives in all aspects of their life, including how they travel.

Partnerships are pivotal to the progression of public transport networks, between bus and coach operators, service providers and local authorities, forming the foundation on which a new successful passenger travel strategy will be developed to include alternative energies such as electricity and gas.

Trains

Ireland has a rich heritage in train travel as they have existed, in one form or another, since 1834. The rail network is very well-established and extensive, making trains the easiest and fastest way to explore the island of Ireland. It is also recognised as the most environmentally friendly form of public transport, with many electrified routes. However, the majority of Irish trains still run on diesel fuel and in order to become truly carbon neutral, they will ultimately be withdrawn from service and replaced or converted – but will it be electric or hydrogen?

Irish Rail will trial the first hydrogen-powered passenger train in 2024 by retrofitting a hydrogen fuel cell to a locomotive diesel engine. Whilst this innovative concept train is not expected to enter service until 2025 – it will be seen as a significant landmark in the race toward decarbonisation of Ireland’s railways.

The addition of the powerful battery means quieter, quicker and more fuel-efficient journeys, significantly cuts emissions and air pollution and allows the train to run solely on battery power when departing and arriving at stations.

Taxis

Taxis are commonplace across the island of Ireland, and many operators have embraced the electric revolution and now successfully and profitably run a fleet of all-electric vehicles. However, Ireland has unveiled its first national hydrogen strategy, with a view to using its vast offshore wind resource to produce enough green H2 for its own needs and for export, indicating that hydrogen taxis may soon feature on the country’s road map.

The future of public transport

The Irish government predicts green hydrogen will play a key role in decarbonising the public transport sector, which is one of the largest contributors to domestic greenhouse gas emissions.

Complementing electrification, hydrogen is expected to be used across modes of public transport such as buses, trains and taxis, as a viable alternative to petrol and diesel. It is also likely to provide solutions for sectors that will not be able to fully decarbonise otherwise, including aviation and shipping.

TSG Gas is here to help

TSG has been prominent in the retail fuel industry for over 30 years, however, TSG is now establishing itself in the new energy sector, by supplying, installing and maintaining the requisite equipment to assist the public transport fleets to switch to greener energies.   This includes hydrogen compressors, electrolysers and the associated dispensers, together with a comprehensive electric charge point installation service.

TSG is now recognised as one of Ireland’s first-choice engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractors for all new energies (including electricity and solar), delivering all works within a predefined timescale and budget for any application.

Furthermore, TSG employs a team of highly skilled technical engineers to provide a supreme aftercare service that operates seven days a week.

Providing a vast array of products and advanced solutions, TSG can assist transport managers to maximise the potential of the site, streamline processes and increase cost efficiency.

Electric vehicle (EV) charge point installation

TSG Ireland offers a wide range of charging hardware and software to site owners, creating an infrastructure to support the growth of EV charge points as demand increases.