SASKATOON — Saskatoon Transit has engaged the Canadian Urban Transit Research and Innovation Consortium (CUTRIC) to assess the city’s readiness to transition to a zero-emission bus fleet. The initiative is part of the Zero Emission Transit Fund through the Government of Canada’s National Planning Service.
CUTRIC will evaluate the economic, technological, social and environmental benefits, risks and constraints of investing in zero-emission buses and the necessary supporting infrastructure in Saskatoon. The study includes three scenarios: a battery-electric bus (BEB) fleet, a hydrogen fuel-cell electric bus (FCEB) fleet, and a mixed fleet of both.
Both battery-electric and hydrogen-powered buses rely on the power grid for charging or fuel production. Saskatchewan power plants currently use fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas to generate electricity, which emits greenhouse gases and offsets some of the benefits of reduced tailpipe emissions from zero-emission buses.
Financial cost is also a major factor. The 15-year life cycle of an FCEB fleet would total $1.1 billion at current prices, with an additional $18.2 million needed for facility retrofits. A BEB fleet would cost $479.2 million over 15 years and require $47.7 million in facility and on-route charging infrastructure costs.
“The data and analysis in the ZEB study provide a roadmap for Saskatoon Transit to follow when more renewable energy sources in Saskatchewan generate power. Saskatoon Transit will continue to monitor advancements in technology, funding programs and changes in the power grid to transition to ZEBs when feasible,” Saskatoon Transit director Mike Moellenbeck said.
Josipa Petrunic, president and CEO of CUTRIC, said transit decarbonization is a critical pathway to reducing emissions at the municipal level.
“However, based on the carbon intensity of provincial grids, electrification is not always a straightforward choice due to pollution from electrical grids. As the provincial grid system decarbonizes in the upcoming decades, electrification will become a more viable option for cities like Saskatoon as they transition away from fossil fuels,” said Petrunic.
A new transit fleet renewal strategy for annual diesel bus purchases will be presented to the City Council’s Standing Policy Committee on Transportation for consideration in June.
