Hydrogen Hits the Roads

Ballard Power Systems announced on December 20th 2011 that the 20-bus fleet operated by BC Transit in the Resort Municipality of Whistler, British Columbia and powered by Ballard FCvelocityTM-HD6 fuel cell modules recently surpassed 1-million miles (1.6-million kilometers) of revenue service. The BC Transit fleet has been the largest hydrogen fuel cell-powered bus fleet in operation anywhere since it went into service approximately 2-years ago and is the first hydrogen fuel cell bus fleet to achieve the 1-million mile revenue service mark. The buses went into service in January, 2010 prior to the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, and have been an effective showcase for clean transportation alternatives. By end-November 2011 a number of important results had been achieved: • The 20-bus fleet had operated a total of 80,000 hours; • More than 9,600 safe refuellings had been completed, by which 220,000 kilograms of hydrogen was dispensed to the fleet’s buses; and • 2,200 tons of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were avoided, in comparison to diesel buses, which is equivalent to removing approximately 400 passenger vehicles from the roads. Source: Ballard PR, FuelCellToday

Turkey’s Istanbul Technical University (ITU) unveiled a hydrogen fuel cell boat last month. The Marti (which means seagull) was developed over four years and can operate for 10 hours on 5 kg of hydrogen with a maximum speed of 13 km/h and is now ready for use.  he boat will be put into use on the Golden Horn estuary in Istanbul.

Initially the UKH2Mobility project will investigate the potential for  hydrogen as a fuel for ultra-low carbon vehicles in the UK and plans to publish its evaluation by the end of 2012 in a publicly available report. To develop a strategy and business case to facilitate the necessary hydrogen infrastructure for the anticipated 2014/2015 FCEVs.

UK-based alkaline fuel cell developer AFC Energy is to lead a consortium of organisations running a new EU project, LASER-CELL, backed by €2.9 million of funding.  The AFC Energy-led consortium is to receive €1.4 million of this from the Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU). LASER-CELL will run alongside AFC Energy’s current development programme and will develop innovative technologies to enhance high-volume production of alkaline fuel cells, backed up by life-cycle and market analysis. AFC Energy will receive €405,600 of the total funding. Source: FuelCellToday

The FP7 Winter Academy offers a three-day February 7th-10th winter course covering all stages of an EU project development. Participants will learn the difference between FP7 and other EU programmes and get an in-depth look at the entire life-cycle of an EU project, including financial reporting and post project audits.  They will learn how to identify a call and submit a proposal in FP7. The course combines 1,5 days of proposal development and evaluation, and 2 days of project management.

The Intelligent Energy/Lotus London hydrogen fuel cell black cabs are to be deployed under a new European consortium HyTEC – Hydrogen Transport for European Cities, which consists of sixteen companies from five European countries and is part-funded by the FCH JU. The deployment will consist of: one new Air Products refuelling station, fifteen black cabs and five Suzuki Bergmann scooters.
The new hydrogen station will be used in conjunction with the two existing stations used to service the fuel cell buses on the RV1 route, creating the foundation of a London hydrogen infrastructure. The fuel cell taxi, first announced in June 2010 has a top speed of over 80 mph and a range of more than 250 miles has received widespread press over the last year.
Mayor of London Boris Johnson, comments ‘I want London to become a zero-emission city in order to deliver cleaner air and improve quality of life.

The “Fuel Cell and Hydrogen technologies in Europe; Financial and technology outlook on the European sector ambition 2014 – 2020” was made public this November 2011 during the FCH JU stakeholder assembly which took place in Brussels.

The Report summarizes the sector’s financial ambition to reach Europe’s objectives in 2020. The estimated investments are split into traditional R&D and Demonstration efforts, totaling around €6.4 bn and a newer effort to take place in relation to market introduction investments, estimated at around €11.5 bn. The role and responsibility of Industry will increase with increased proximity to the market. The respective contemplated roles of Member States and the European Union and other supporting financial institutions are explored in detail in the document.

Hydrogenics was awarded to deliver one HySTAT(TM)60 electrolyser, capable to produce 130kg a day of pure hydrogen. It will be part of a complete electrolysis-based fueling station awarded to Carbagas, a fully owned subsidiary of the Air Liquide group. The electrolyser will be delivered to the city of Brugg in the canton of Aargau, Switzerland at the beginning of 2012 as part of the CHIC, a European demonstration project of fuel cell buses (chic-project.eu).

The European Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU) hosted the 4th Stakeholder’s General Assembly on November 22-23 2011 in Brussels. The event presented that Europe has reached a decisive stage in achieving its decarbonisation objectives by 2050 and hydrogen and fuel cells technologies are key in reaching the objectives set forth.
Significant investments have been made by industrial, research, and political stakeholders to push the technological development and market entry. Regulatory and adequate financing mechanisms are needed to overcome the remaining barriers to deployment and encourage early adopters of these innovative technologies to move forward. With limited financial resources and an investment climate under pressure, concerted action between all stakeholders is more than ever essential to foster a successful integration of fuel cells and hydrogen in the European energy and transport system.
During the Stakeholder’s General Assembly, all areas of industry and research as well as EU and national policy makers exchanged what is needed to bridge the gap between demonstrations to commercial deployment of these clean technologies as well as on the pooling of resources and policies.

Hyundai has officially confirmed that it has joined the H2moves Scandinavia project, following the opening of the project’s hydrogen station in Oslo on Monday (image).  Key points: Four ix35 FCEVs to be driven in Norway and Denmark Harsh northern European climate ideal for testing real-world viability of fuel cell vehicles ix35 FCEV hydrogen refuelling capability to be demonstrated at new cutting-edge hydrogen refuelling station in Oslo, Norway Cooperation with European partners on moving towards a global hydrogen economy Read the full press release here. Source: FuelCellToday