The public transport company of Istanbul, IETT has equipped a public passenger bus with solar panels to power bus’s electric systems and battery to contribute to fuel efficiency
The Turkish city of Istanbul has launched into operation a bus which uses solar energy to power its electrical systems and battery. The bus is the first of its kind to be used in Turkey for passenger transport. Although the bus runs on diesel, the solar panels power information screens, mobile phone charging outlets, Wi-Fi connection, loudspeakers, cameras and electronic ticket units. They also provide additional power for the bus’s battery and contribute to fuel efficiency. The bus was presented at a bus depot in the Topkapı district the bus route’s first station, and will continue on to Eminönü,a busy commercial hub in Istanbul’s historic peninsula with landmarks such as the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia. The IETT already introduced another environmentally friendly bus last year. Botobus, a “botanic” bus, running between Edirnekapı and Taksim, with plants on its roof to help to offset the carbon emissions the bus generates. Turkey is seeking to increase its renewable energy use and has an annual solar power capacity of 380 billion kilowatt hours, one of the highest in Europe