The Stuttgart waste management authority (AWS – Abfallwirtschaft Stuttgart) will in future also procure waste collection vehicles and sweepers powered by fuel cells. This is being undertaken against the background of the changeover of the vehicle fleet to alternative drive systems.
In this context, Secretary of State Steffen Bilger handed over a funding notification from the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure to the Managing Director of AWS, Markus Töpfer, on 28 June 2021.
The funding guideline relevant here is “Measures for market activation within the framework of the National Innovation Programme Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology Phase 2 (Focus on Sustainable Mobility)” of 9 July 2020 (“Maßnahmen der Marktaktivierung im Rahmen des Nationalen Innovationsprogramms Wasserstoff- und Brennstoffzellentechnologie Phase 2 (Schwerpunkt Nachhaltige Mobilität)”). The Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI – Bundesministerium für Verkehr und digitale Infrastruktur) supports products that have achieved technical market maturity but are not yet competitive on the market. The initial focus is on funding waste collection vehicles and road sweepers with fuel cell drives.
The city of Stuttgart intends to procure a total of 13 waste collection vehicles and 3 fuel cell sweepers in the future, with the aim of systematically converting the city’s vehicle fleet to environmentally friendly and low-emission mobility.
Less noise and fewer pollutants
The goal is to reduce pollution and noise in the urban area and thus improve the quality of life in the state capital Stuttgart. The AWS is pleased to be able to make a further contribution to achieving this.
The funding project will run for a period of three years. Funding is provided for 90% of the additional costs compared to conventionally powered vehicles. For the planned procurement of special vehicles with fuel cell technology, this corresponds to federal funding of around 11.4 million euros.