Dublin Bus is to begin using biodeisel in some of its vehicles in a trial due to begin in May.
Eamon Ryan, Green Party
The bus company will run five of its city tour vehicles on 5 per cent plant oil and 95 per cent conventional diesel.
In a review document put together by Dublin Bus earlier this month, it said the trial can be further extended if successful to include more vehicles or the percentage of biodiesel used
Dublin Bus has a fleet of 1,100 diesel-powered vehicles and uses approximately 30 million litres a year. The review was prompted by significant increases in the price of oil, and the company predicted its fuel costs could rise by 50 per cent in 2006.
"As a result Bus Átha Cliath (and CIÉ) is undertaking a review of alternative fuels and alternative vehicle technology," the document said.
The use of hybird vehicles and pure plant oil was considered, but bio-diesel was judged to be the preferred option. Biodiesel is formed when vegetable oil is modified using a process known as esterification. It can then be mixed with conventional diesel.
The mix for the Dublin Bus trial is limited by 5 per cent because exceeding this would make warranties on its Volvo and Cummins vehicles null and void.
The Green Party welcomed the move as a "first small step". Transport spokesman Eamon Ryan said the use of biofuels should be extended to all vehicles on the State's roads.
"Different types of biofuels are available such as biogas; ethanol, which could be manufactured in our sugar factories; pure plant oil, which comes from crushed rape seed oil; or biodiesel, which is a refined version of plant and other waste oils, he said.
"The Government has started to provide some incentives for the development of biofuels by granting certain duty exemptions but they need to go further," he added.
