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Region Skåne is the first public body in Sweden in a procurement process for fuel cell cars. This is a result of the EU-funded project Next Move. Next Move facilitates cooperation across borders to meet strategic challenges like purchasing and service, for the regions and municipalities that want to become early users of FCEVs. The project partners collaborate in a joint procurement process, though each partner makes it’s own purchase. First in line was Copenhagen city, which since 2011 only purchase zero emission vehicles for the municipality. The communities and regions in Next Move are in 2012 to purchase hydrogen-powered FCEVs to a total value of approximately 3,18 million €. Region Skåne is open for tenders between 25 May and 4 July 2012.
“It is important that the question of hydrogen refuelling stations and hydrogen cars does not become a catch-22. Thus by procuring Skåne’s first hydrogen cars through the project Next Move, Region Skåne pushes the development of a hydrogen infrastructure, which in turn can generate more vehicles. In this way we, as a public organization, take the lead and in a responsible manner pave way for future opportunities,” says Oddvar Fiskesjö, Pro tempore head of department of Environmental strategies at Region Skåne.
Otto Andersson, strategic purchaser at Region Skåne, has prepared the procurement process. “Even if the technology is relatively new and competition in the market is limited, we hope to receive some various tenders within our price level. This procurement will hopefully be a starting point for Sweden to adopt fuel cell technology and to drive the development forward and inspire other organizations to do the same,” he says.[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]