Sightseeing bus tour company, Tootbus, has secured approval to install roof-mounted VEV solar panels on its Wandsworth depot to power its electric fleet.
Throughout this project, the bus company will collaborate with electric fleet solutions provider, VEV to power its electric fleet with 100% end-to-end renewable power.
The new installation will provide 65,000 kwh of electricity annually, enabling approximately 60,000 kilometres of travel each year.
The solar panels are scheduled to be installed this summer. Additional infrastructure projects are also in the pipeline to support Tootbus’s mission to operate London’s first fully electric sightseeing bus fleet by 2029.
Mike Nakrani, CEO of VEV said:We’re delighted to be partnering with Tootbus on their journey towards a fully electrified and sustainable fleet. Solar power generation was an integral part of the electrification strategy we developed together. With careful charging scheduling, Tootbus can now maximise the utilisation of clean solar energy when the sun is shining, reducing its reliance on the grid during those times.
In 2021, Tootbus converted to HVO fuel, reducing its CO2 emissions by up to 90 percent. Now, the company is electrifying its fleet by repowering its existing vehicles to enable zero-emission operations.
The approval for new solar panels represents the first significant milestone in the company’s partnership with VEV.
Gavin Brooking, Managing Director at Tootbus UK, said:We are thrilled to have secured approval for these solar panels. Sustainability has been central to our operations since the launch of Tootbus, and this project is a hugely exciting step in our renewable energy journey. We are pleased to continue to be well ahead of policy priorities and see it as our imperative to lead. Green tourism is vital to keeping central areas of London clean, safe and pollution-free, and we are proud to be at the forefront of this movement.
