Regional Seminanar 22nd of September in Kaunas, Lithuania

2010-09-15 13:51:14

On the 22nd of September 2010 a regional seminar of the Baltic Biogas Bus project was held in Kaunas.
In conjunction with a partner meeting in Kaunas, the project partner JSC "Buses of Kaunas", organized the seminar. The seminar attracted approxemately 60 participants. It was an excellent opportunity to obtain more knowledge about biogas and to present the BBB-project.

On 22th of September Baltic Biogas Bus project Regional seminar was held in Kaunas, Lithuania. The seminar took place in the hotel Best Western Santaka.  A seminar, organized by public transport company „Kauno autobusai“ in co-operation with other project partners, focused on potential of biogas usage in Lithuanian transport market.

Regional seminar attracted more then 60 participants, which included attendees from the five biggest cities in Lithuania. In the welcome speech Deputy mayor of Kaunas city municipality Mr. Rimantas Mikaitis, had to admit, that air pollution becomes a bigger and bigger problem in Kaunas. The solution must be complex – including and public transport. CEO of JSC “Kauno autobusai” Mr. Mindaugas Grigelis also added, that we have used only diesel buses heretofore, but we have to take care about our environment, and that we will have some alternative fuel buses in the nearest future and it may be biogas.

During the discussion there were three main questions raised:

-          Do we need biogas in Lithuanian public transport market?

-          What should be done to achieve it?

-          Do we have enough of biogas?

According to Mr. Romas Adomavicius (Deputy mayor of Vilnius city) “Possibility to install gas cleaning equipment at Kazokiškiu and Kariotiškiu dumping grounds, in order to use biogas for a public transport, is discussed”. In his opinion, all public and municipal vehicles should use clean and environment friendly fuels, in order to reduce emission.

Head of the Transport department at Kaunas city municipality Mr. Paulius Keras believes that transition to cleaner fuel should be well-judged. “We have to make it step-by-step. Starting from the next year there will be CNG buses operating in Kaunas public transport system and then we will think about biogas”.  Mr. Gintaras Nakutis, Head of Vilnius Bus Company has shared that opinion and mentioned “we could start biogas usage even today, since we already have all infrastructures in our company”.

Dr. Juozas Savickas, from Lithuanian energy institute has summarized the discussion telling that the potential of Lithuanian biogas is more than sufficient, but we shouldn’t expect profit from this area, since priorities are ecological. “There must be political will and support to bring biogas buses to our streets” he said.

Welcome and introduction Mindaugas Grigelis, CEO of JSC KAUNO AUTOBUSAI

Global climate change and its influence Dr. Asta Mikalauskiene, Scientific officer at Laboratory of energy  systems research of Lithuanian Energy Institut  Presentation EN  Presentation LT

BBB project - aims and objectives Lennart Hallgren, Project manager at SL  Presentation EN Mindaugas Augustaitis, Project manager at JSC KAUNO AUTOBUSAI

Biogas bus emissions and cost issues Mona Arnold, Senior research scientist, and Matti Kytö, Team leader at Engine team/Emission control of VTT  Presentation EN

Towards a sustainable public transport system in Stockholm Lennart Hallgren, Project manager,Stockholm Public Transport  Presentation EN

Strategies for participation in decision making processes Stein Bjorlykke (Nelson Rojas), Project manager at HOG Energi  Presentation EN

Biogas buses in Tartu City transport Margus Hanson, Deputy major Tartu city  Presentation EN

Production of biogas from organic waste and its usage in Lithuania from economic and environmental  perspectives Dr. Juozas Savickas, Head scientific officer at Laboratory of Renewable Energy of LithuanianEnergy Institute  Presentation EN  Presentation LT

Discussion  Paulius Keras, Head of Transport an Traffic department of Kaunas City Municipality Presentation LT

Tour to Kaunas Water company to see how is biogas from waste water produced