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SunLine Transit Agency Hydrogen-Powered Transit Buses: Preliminary Evaluation Results
2/1/2007
This preliminary report covers NREL's evaluation of hydrogen and fuel cell buses in service at SunLine Transit Agency in Thousand Palms, California. The report includes 11 months of performance data on two hydrogen-fueled buses: one fuel cell bus and one hybrid hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engine bus. The report also outlines the overall experience of the transit agency and its project partners in demonstrating these buses.
Authors: Chandler, K.; Eudy, L.
Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit)Fuel Cell Transit Buses: Preliminary Results
2/1/2007
This report includes preliminary evaluation results on three prototype fuel cell-powered transit buses operating at AC Transit in Oakland, California, since March 2006 and 6 baseline diesel buses that are similar in design to the fuel cell business. This report describes the equipment used and provides early experience details, lessons learned, and early experience details.
Authors: Chandler, K.; Eudy, L.
Performance of Automotive Fuel Cell Systems with Nanostructured Thin Film Catalysts
1/1/2007
Cost and durability are generally regarded as the major challenges to commercialization of fuel cells. Size, weight, and system complexity are also important barriers to adoption of fuel cells in light duty vehicles. In addition, thermal and water management for fuel cells are outstanding issues. Fuel cell operation at lower temperatures creates a small difference between the operating and ambient temperatures, necessitating large heat exchangers. Fuel and air feed streams need to be humidified for proper operation of fuel cells. In this paper, we evaluate the prospects of overcoming the barriers of cost, durability, weight, volume, thermal management, and water management by using nanostructured thin film catalysts (NTFCs) in membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) In laboratory tests, the NSTF catalysts have shown significantly enhanced stability against surface area loss from Pt dissolution when compared to conventional Pt/C dispersed catalysts under both accelerated voltage cycling from 0.6 to 1.2 V and real-time start stop cycles. Also NSTF catalyst support-whiskers have shown total resistance to corrosion when held at potentials up to 1.5 V for 3 hours.
Authors: Ahluwalia, R.; Wang, X.; Lasher, S.; Sinha, J.; Yang, Y.; Sriramulu, S.
Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority and San Mateo County Transit District Fuel Cell Transit Buses: Evaluation Results
11/1/2006
This report provides evaluation results of prototype fuel cell transit buses operating at Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) in San Jose, California. VTA has been operating three fuel cell transit buses in extra revenue service since February 28, 2005. The report includes 17 months of performance data on three 40-ft. Gillig buses with a fuel cell system by Ballard Power Systems. The report also outlines the overall experience for the transit agency and its project partners in demonstrating these zero-emission buses. The analysis in this report reflects the prototype status of these vehicles. There is no intent to consider the implementation of these fuel cell buses as commercial (or full revenue transit service. The evaluation focuses on documenting progress and opportunities for improving the vehicles, infrastructure, and procedures.
Authors: Chandler, K.; Eudy, L.
Designing New Transit Bus Garages to be Fuel Flexible
5/12/2006
The basic differences between the properties of gaseous and liquid fuels influence building design requirements for transit bus garages. Leaks, flammability range, and ignition temperatures must be considered when designing the structure, utilities, ventilation, and safety equipment.
Authors: Adams, R.
Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report - February 2006
2/1/2006
The Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report provides regional alternative and conventional fuel prices for biodiesel, compressed natural gas, ethanol, hydrogen, propane, gasoline, and diesel. The Alternative Fuel Price Report is a snapshot in time of retail fuel prices.
Transitioning to a Hydrogen Future: Learning from the Alternative Fuels Experience
2/1/2006
A wealth of practical knowledge concerning alternative fuel technologies, products, national policies, and market introduction exists within industry, regulated fleets, and voluntary programs. Issues relating to consumer choice, capital investment, business decision making, manufacturing, and infrastructure construction will need to be understood in the alternative fuels context if the hydrogen transition is to occur efficiently. The overall objective of this project is to assess relevant knowledge within the alternative fuels community and recommend transitional strategies and tactics that will further the hydrogen transition in the transportation sector and help avoid stranded assets in the alternative fuels industry.
Authors: Melendez, M.
Steam Reforming of Ethanol at Elevated Pressures for Distributed Hydrogen Production
1/1/2006
Ethanol is an attractive renewable fuel because, as a liquid fuel, it has a high energy density, it is easy to transport, and it is environmentally more benign than petroleum-derived fuels. The hydrogen produced by reforming needs to be purified and compressed to the appropriate storage and dispensing pressures. Compressing hydrogen is energy intensive and can consume a significant fraction of the fuel's heating value. A promising option for producing hydrogen from ethanol is by conducting the ethanol steam reforming reaction at an elevated pressure, since injecting liquid feeds (ethanol and water) into a pressurized reactor requires very little energy.
Authors: Lee, S.; Papadias, D.; Ahluwalia, R.; Ahmed, S.
VTA, SamTrans Look into Future with Bus Demo
9/1/2005
This fact sheet provides information about the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) Zero-Emission Bus Program. VTA is currently collaborating with the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Hydrogen, Fuel Cells, & Infrastructure Technologies Program to evaluate the performance of three fuel cell transit buses developed by Ballard Power Systems and Gillig Corporation.
Energy Policy Act of 2005
8/8/2005
The Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT 2005) included measuring governing energy efficiency, renewable energy, oil and gas use, clean coal power, nuclear energy, and vehicles and fuels including the use of alternative fuels, hybrid vehicles, fuel cell buses, clean fuel school buses, automobile efficiency, and diesel emissions reduction.
Authors: Public Law 109-58, 109th Congress
Overview of Advanced Technology Transportation, 2005 Update
8/1/2005
This overview of the 2005 transportation market includes hybrid, fuel cell, hydrogen, and alternative fuel vehicles. It covers vehicle sales, emissions, potential partners, advanced technology vehicle availability, and other factors. It also offers a "snapshot" of current vehicle technologies and trends.
Authors: Barnitt, R.; Eudy, L.
Yosemite Waters Vehicle Evaluation Report: Final Results
8/1/2005
This study was a joint effort between the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The overall goal of the project was to evaluate the use of gas-to-liquid (GTL) fuel in combination with passive catalytic regenerative particle filters in real-world service and characterize regulated and unregulated exhaust pollutant emissions from GTL fuel in comparison to petroleum-derived diesel fuel.
Authors: Eudy, L.; Barnitt, R.; Alleman, T.
