Decarbonizing urban transportation : Elcimaï Environnement delivers a fourth bus depot converted to biomethane to the RATP
FRANCE MOBILITÉ : THE WAY IS CLEAR FOR INITIATIVES IN THE FIELD OF NEW ENERGIES
RATP manages 25 bus depots on behalf of Île-de-France Mobilités, where the gradual transition to new energy sources is well underway. Long aware of the challenges of decarbonizing urban transportation, it began converting its depots to biomethane over 20 years ago. Its fleet now includes more than 1,000 BioNGV buses spread across 12 depots in Île-de-France. The remaining 13 depots are currently being retrofitted to accommodate electric buses.
To support the conversion of its sites to biomethane, RATP chose to partner with Elcimaï Environnement, a company specializing in the ecological transition and the circular economy. In 2017, it commissioned this company to lead the project to retrofit the bus depots in Massy-Palaiseau (91), Bussy-Saint-Martin (77), Nanterre (92), and Saint-Maur-des-Fossés (94). The first three sites are operational ; the fourth was inaugurated on April 26, 2024.
STUDIES CONDUCTED BY ELCIMAÏ ENVIRONNEMENT
The teams at Elcimaï Environnement conducted studies for the installation of gas compression and biomethane distribution equipment, including both slow and fast refueling systems. Infrastructure and civil engineering were part of their scope of work ; to minimize the impact on parking availability, they proposed, for the Saint-Maur-des-Fossés site, that the compressors be mounted on a mezzanine above the buses. This option, already adopted in Bussy-Saint-Georges, required careful design of the civil engineering work to support the compressors’ loads (high static and dynamic loads), reduce noise levels at the property boundary (noise barrier), and prevent the spread of fire (firewall).
Elcimaï Environnement was also tasked with ensuring ATEX (ATmosphère EXplosive) compliance for each of the four maintenance workshops. In particular, the teams installed a gas detection system capable of cutting off the power supply if necessary. Existing electrical equipment (lighting, ventilation, heating, maintenance equipment, etc.), as well as the fire detection system, were brought into compliance with ATEX standards.
With the goal of completely phasing out diesel, Île-de-France Mobilités aims to convert 100 % of its fleet to alternative fuels in Paris and the inner suburbs by 2025, and in the outer suburbs by 2029. According to its projections, 70 % of the fleet should eventually run on biomethane.