Monday, November 25, 2024

Moving Towards Net-Zero GHG Emissions at TransLink

TransLink Bus

In 2021, the TransLink Board approved the following timeline for moving TransLink towards a zero-emission bus fleet and that its operations would have zero greenhouse gas emissions.

  • 45% GHG emission reduction by 2030 (compared to 2010)
  • A zero-emissions bus fleet by 2040
  • Net-zero GHG emissions by 2050

Net-zero does not mean that TransLink will produce zero GHG emissions in 2050, but that any emissions TransLink emits will be compensated (for example, by investing in renewable power or planting trees). Moving towards net zero is still a big lift. We've often heard about government organizations setting GHG emission reduction targets but never meeting those targets. Is TransLink's GHG emissions and zero-emissions bus fleet possible in the timeline given?

TransLink staff have prepared a report that shows the trolley bus network will be here to stay and that battery-electric buses will replace all other bus types in the medium and the long term. Over the next decade, TransLink will still need to purchase buses that can run on renewable natural gas and diesel, both to meet the 2030 emission reduction target and allow time to build the facilities and infrastructure to accommodate battery-electric buses.

TransLink is renovating the Port Coquitlam Transit Centre and building a new Marpole Transit Centre to accommodate battery election buses. TransLink has six transit centres (bus depots) in the region, so much more work will be needed.

Moving to a fully electric bus future will cost up to $14 billion over the next two decades. It is a big effort. There are two Canadian transit bus manufacturers, and as of this year, only one will continue to make buses with combustion engines. The future will be electric.

While aggressive and not without risk, it will be possible for TransLink to meet its zero-emission bus fleets and net-zero GHG emission goals.

For more information, please read the November 28th Mayors' Council package.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Are EV users paying taxes somehow, like gasoline purchasers pay when fueling up?

Anonymous said...

EV users should have to pay a tax, for one it is a strain on Translink funding in which EV users do use roads bridges and tunnels and secondly they get the benefits of being able to use the HOV lanes with only one occupant in the vehicle. This defeats the purpose of a high occupancy lane, at this rate the roads will be congested again because of too many cars on the road with one occupant inside. I think this one needs a rethinking???

Nathan Pachal said...

For sure. This post, though, is more about TransLink's bus fleet.

Anonymous said...

Silo thought is not helpful.