China has confirmed it is set to purchase and trial six fuel cell buses for operation in the Olympic city of Beijing and Shanghai, according to reports from the International Procurement News Conference of Project Demonstration for Fuel Cell Bus Commercialization in China.

With the backing of the Chinese government, Global Environment Fund (GEF) and United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the total investment in the eco-friendly project is $32.26 million.

The scheme, which began in 2003 and which is due to run for five years, was co-executed by the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (MOST) and the municipal governments in Beijing and Shanghai.

The appropriate departments and a team of experts will collect and analyse the test data from the trial operation, in order to evaluate the technical and commercial viability of the zero-emission vehicles.

The project is complimentary to Beijing's environmental drive ahead of the 2008 Olympics, which has provisions for a number of energy efficient, emission-reducing technologies and strategies.

Shanghai is also engaged in a similar initiative to reduce auto exhaust emissions and improve general air quality for the 2010 World Exposition.