The State could save significantly on bus fuel bills by increasing its use of biomethane transport fuels, accoriding to Bart Bonsall of the Technology Centre for Biorefining & Bioenergy (TCBB). “We’re working with the Irish Bioenergy Association (IrBEA) and its biomethane industry working group members to prepare a report on the very real job creation opportunities for Ireland in producing its own biomethane for fleet transport,” he said. “In the course of our ongoing analysis of the job creation potential, we’re also looking at the large diesel fuel bills of both Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann. We see that in addition to the job opportunities, there’s also a significant opportunity for the State to reduce fuel bills for its own buses.” The TCBB has stated that millions of euro could be cut from the fuel bill for public transport buses if less expensive biogas/compressed natural gas (CNG) is adopted as a fuel. This could be done, it believes, by migrating some of the State-owned transport fleets to biogas/CNG buses. Bus Éireann piloted a biogas/CNG bus in Cork city in 2012 with very positive feedback. Bonsall, the technology Leader at the TCBB, went on to say: “We can see that Bus Átha Cliath/Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann had a total diesel fuel bill in the region of €70 million in 2012. Dublin Bus received a public service obligation [PSO] payment from the State of over €69 million and Bus Éireann received €37 million for its PSO subvention that same year. “Here’s an opportunity for the State to make savings on its bus fuel bills in the near term by using biogas/CNG buses. This would bring the added benefit of reduced emissions in our larger cities in particular,” he added. The TCBB is co-hosted by NUI Galway, University of Limerick and University College Dublin. It develops key research programmes and innovative commercial applications for a sustainable and competitive biobased economy in partnership with its industry members.