The La Spezia’s Strategic Plan for Transport, signed in 2004, set up the target of increasing the percentage of low emission vehicles in La Spezia Province from 1%, at that time, to 10% in 2010 (mainly intended for natural gas vehicles). The Municipality of La Spezia, together with ACAM S.p.A. (a local company distributing gas and water and managing wastewater and municipal waste treatment), is committed to set up a local distribution of alternative fuels.
La Spezia is taking part into a national project financed from the Italian government (ICBI, low impact fuel initiative) aimed at converting petrol vehicles into vehicles running also on natural gas. The financial support is 350 Euro per each conversion.
With regard to public transport, since 1906 La Spezia has chosen to use trolley bus. Actually 14 trolley buses are in operation in ATC’s fleet and there are also 10 Buses Cito (diesel electric).
Moreover all the trucks used for urban waste recovery are CNG fuelled.
BEST Activities
The demonstration activities carried out in the BEST project constituted the first experience of using bioethanol fuelled vehicles in Italy.
La Spezia introduced 10 FFVs during BEST as well as 3 bioethanol buses. La Spezia is proud to have introduced FFV’s and E85 to the public fleet, but disappointed that factors beyond their control (taxation) have restricted further achievement. The Province and Municipality of La Spezia have called for policy changes at the national level but this process will take several years.
ETA – Renewable Energies coordinates the BEST activities in Italy