The Elche City Council, through the new cleaning contract awarded to the UTE-Elche, put into operation the first CNG station in the city, as a first step to gradually eliminate diesel from its fleet. Developed by Grupo HAM, the filling station will supply 64 new gas-powered cleaning vehicles in the machinery park located in the Partida de Vallongas.
According to Mayor Carlos González, the incorporation of this new service, which has an investment of more than 680,000 euros, will represent an improvement in environmental impact, substantial savings in consumption, as well as a significant reduction in CO2 emissions and noise. The initiative will help reduce fleet emissions by 80% and save costs by 20% compared to diesel and more than 50% compared to gasoline prices.
“The opening of this CNG station is a decisive step towards achieving European Green Capital status by 2030 and it has to make us one of the cleanest cities in Spain and one of the most sustainable services that are being implemented in the country”, said González, who stressed that at the moment the service already supplies the 12 new CNG-powered vehicles, a figure that will grow as the renewal of the fleet is carried out, which is expected to reach 30 in the first quarter, to improve sweeping and garbage collection in the municipality.
In addition, with this new service the city goes from having one dispenser to four, which allows a greater refueling capacity and a reduction in time. “We consider that it is a key piece within the benefits of the new cleaning service that we have framed since last May,” commented the mayor.
The official also pointed out that the working conditions of the workforce are improved because trucks over 20 years old are replaced by new vehicles that guarantee greater safety for employees.
Source: Elche City Council
