Metro Magazine

APR 2013

Magazine serving the bus and rail transit & motorcoach operations since 1904

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GREEN REPORT: Hydrogen Fuel Cells Gather Steam as Viable Fleet Option U.S. transit systems testing the technology see economical as well as environmental benefits. Conversion to other alternative fuels — biodiesel, natural gas and propane autogas — continues growth. a AC Transit uses solar panels to power its hydrogen fuel production process, further enhancing its sustainability eforts. BY ALEX ROMAN, Managing Editor recent U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) report found that fuel economy of fuel-cell electric buses was 1.8 to two times higher than conventional diesel buses (4 mpg) and compressed natural gas buses (3 mpg), a signifcant improvement toward the DOE and Federal Transit Administration's (FTA) target of 8 mpg (diesel equivalent). The 12-month status report, "Fuel Cell Buses in U.S. Transit Fleets: Current Status 2012," written by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), includes data collected from 18 fuel-cell electric buses at three transit agencies in California and Connecticut. In one year, the fleet of fuelcell electric buses in the study traveled 250,000 miles and had almost 25,000 hours of fuel-cell system operation. The report also documented one fuel-cell system operating more than 12,000 hours, an advancement 20 < mETRO mAGAZINE APRIL 2013 toward the DOE and FTA's 2016 target of 18,000 hours and the ultimate target of 25,000 hours. The data and subsequent report is part of the FTA's National Fuel Cell Bus Program; a cooperative initiative between government and industry to advance the commercialization of fuelcell technology in U.S. transit buses. The program has awarded approximately $60 million for competitively selected projects, while industry has provided more than $60 million in additional private commitments. Under the program, the typical lifecycle of a project develops concepts, constructs prototypes, demonstrates and evaluates, and publishes fndings. Currently, there are several projects under way throughout the nation in the demonstration and evaluation process, including Oakland, Calif.-based AC Transit; Austin, Texas' Capital Metro; and the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA). So, how does this technology work, and more importantly, how are the buses responding in real-world applications? METRO Magazine spoke to these agencies as well as power system manufacturer, ClearEdge Power (formerly UTC Power), to fnd out. FUEL-CELL TECHNOLOGY In 2005, ClearEdge launched its PureMotion zero-emission proton exchange membrane (PEM) hydrogen fuel-cell system and has continually improved the technology to make the current fuel cells more durable and reliable. "The current PureMotion system is more than three times more durable and powered a transit bus for more than 12,000 operating hours, while still producing full power," says Dana Kaplinski, manager, transportation business for ClearEdge Power. metro-magazine.com

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