Federal Transit Administration s National Fuel Cell Bus Program May 23, 2011 Walter Kulyk, P.E. Director, Office of Mobility Innovation Federal Transit Administration APTA Bus & Paratransit Conference 1
Overview U.S. Transit Operations U.S. Transit and Energy Transit as a Green Technology Demonstration Platform U.S. Transit Policy and Goals Electric Drive and Clean Fuels Research National Fuel Cell Bus Program (NFCBP) 2
Public Transit in the U.S. Demand for transit and transit ridership continues to increase Passengers rode transit vehicles 55.1 billion miles in 2008 Transit use represents about two percent of U.S. passenger car mileage Transit ridership increased 38-percent from 1995 to 2008 U.S. population grew 14-percent Highway use grew 21-percent Sources: APTA & U.S. DOT BTS 3
Public Transit Bus Operations 1,100 transit systems operate buses (2008) Over 50,000 buses in operation every day Transit is a leader in adopting clean fuel and advanced technology About 19% of transit buses are alternatively-powered Diesel - Electric 2% Transit Bus Fuel Types (2009 Fleet) CNG 15% Diesel 81% LNG 2% Source: Environmental Benefits of Alternative Fuels and Advanced Technology in Transit, FTA-WV-26-7003-07.2 4
Current U.S. Transportation sector is petroleum based Transit & Energy Demand for oil will continue to outstrip supply Transit petroleum consumption is insignificant compared to overall transportation consumption However, transit is highly vulnerable to oil demand & supply disturbances 5
DOT Strategic Goal: U.S. Transit Policy Environmental Stewardship FTA Strategic Goal: Environmental Sustainability Reduce carbon and other harmful emissions Improved energy efficiency Reduced dependence on fossil fuels Reduced transportation-related air, water, and noise pollution and impacts on ecosystems 6
Transit Industry: Platform for Advanced Technologies Fleet Operations Centrally fueled and maintained Professional operators and mechanics Urban stop-go duty cycle and fixed route Start-up time Federal Capital Funding Support Federal procurement funding Assistance for developing new technologies High Visibility & High Impact Operate in densely populated areas Broader public exposure and acceptance Alamodome Transit Entrance. VIA Metropolitan Transit; San Antonio, TX New Flyer Hybrid Bus. Intended for Seattle, WA 7
FTA Support of Clean Fuels multiple alternatives to diesel-powered buses CNG successfully commercialized Over $185M in FTA support from 1988-1990 FTA supported early demonstrations and development of standards and best practices Most common alternative fuel in transit Hybrid-electric vehicles commercial product Over $25M in FTA hybrid and electric drive research since 2000 Highest fuel efficiency and lowest emissions in current fleet Hybrids continue to increase in market share in transit 8
FTA and Fuel Cells: A Little History early research focused on demonstrating feasibility of fuel cell propulsion for transit and helped identify future needs FTA began work on fuel cell uses in the 1980s with Georgetown University (GU) Three generations of GU fuel cell buses built, with onboard methanol reformer technology In the late 90s FTA launched second major demo in Chicago with three Ballard fuel cell buses Next generation of fuel cell buses operated in transit environments by SunLine Transit, AC Transit and others in the early 2000s 9
National Fuel Cell Bus Program (NFCBP) In 2005, Congress established NFCBP under the Transportation Authorization bill Facilitate the commercialization of fuel cell buses Total program funded at $76 Million $49 Million, FY 2006 to FY 2009 $27 Million, FY 2010 & FY 2011 Teams and projects competitively-selected 50-percent non-federal cost share Program in partnership with industry - bus manufacturers, suppliers, and transit agencies Portfolio of projects target critical areas 10
National Fuel Cell Bus Program (NFCBP) Multiple technical approaches represented in development and demonstration projects Multiple demo site with various climates and duty cycles Oakland, CA San Francisco, CA Thousand Palms, CA Hartford, CT Boston, MA Columbia, SC Albany, NY Austin, TX Chicago, IL Independent data collection and evaluation of all demo sites in conjunction with DOE/NREL 11
NFCBP Performance Objectives Progress Overview Less than 5x cost of conventional bus 4 to 6 year or 20,000 to 30,000 hours of durability for the FCPS Double fuel economy compared to commercial transit bus Bus performance equal to or greater than equivalent commercial bus Exceed current emissions standards Foster economic competitiveness in fuel cell bus technologies Increase public acceptance for fuel cell bus technologies Cost reductions from over $3.0 M in 2006 to $2.5 M for last order. Plug-in battery dominant bus significantly less. 7000 to 8000 hours+ achieved on FCS with durability warranties at 10,000-12,000 hours Exceed 2x conventional bus, but highly dependent on route Operated up to 19hours/day, with good availability, and miles b/w road calls at 4,000 miles for bus (much lower than conventional); better acceleration, quiet operation, weight is still high Exceeds - zero emissions Multiple manufacturers and platforms demonstrating buses Continued progress 12
NFCBP Highlights CTE/Proterra Ground up design of new bus platform with hybrid fuel cell system Battery-dominant hydrogen fuel cell 35-foot bus Dual 16 Kw Hydrogenics fuel cell stacks Lightweight composite structure Advanced Lithium-Titanate batteries Demonstration completed in Columbia, South Carolina; New demo to begin in Austin, TX NFCBP enabled start-up of new green bus manufacturer in the U.S. Proterra delivering additional fuel cell battery dominant buses to Burbank, California and Ft. Lewis, Washington outside of NFCBP Proterra also delivering several all-electric buses with opportunity charging developed from same electric drive platform 13
NFCBP Highlights BAE Systems BUS 2010 project at MUNI, in San Francisco Enhancing successful U.S. Commercial Hybrid Electric Vehicle with fuel cell Auxiliary Power System (APU) Hydrogenics fuel cell, Orion bus platform Electrified accessories to increase efficiency and reduce power requirements Ballard completed its ability to manufacture its fuel cell power system within the U.S. using this design Led to interest in a hybrid bus powered by a fuel cell system - NFCBP project for buy America compliant fuel cell bus with Sunline Transit 14
NFCBP Highlights All-American Fuel Cell Bus with BAE, Ballard and El Dorado at SunLine Transit in California Zero Emission Bus vehicle demo in a very hot desert climate Enables side-by-side comparisons of a Van Hool UTC Bus, and BAE System - Ballard Design Another U.S. transit bus manufacturer (ElDorado) added to the hybrid propulsion market, and fuel cell propulsion added to its products Ballard will manufacture its fuel cell power system in the U.S., meeting Buy-America requirements 15
NFCBP Highlights UTC/ISE/Van-Hool at AC Transit in Oakland, CA Additional demonstration hours in Oakland UTC, a U.S. manufacturer, developed packaging and reliability improvements to a fullsize fuel cell power system for transit buses UTC 120kW PEM Fuel Cell ISE ThunderVolt Hybrid Drive Siemens ELFA Drive; two AC induction motors, 85 kw each (170 kw total) ZEBRA (nickel sodium chloride), three modules, 32 kw (95 kw total), 53 kwh Resulted in real-world operation experience of more than 7,000 hours on a single fuel cell power system (not just once, but on two systems) 16
NFCBP Accomplishments Several technical advances for fuel cell technology achieved Largest fleet of next generation fuel cell buses in U.S. being delivered, 12 to California and 4 funded directly from NFCBP to CT Fuel-cell powerplant surpassed 7,000 hours in revenue service Fuel cell warranties exceeding 10,000 hours, up from 4,000 hours Component projects completed successfully, including Hybrid Fuel Cell Power Converter and Integrated Auxiliary Module FY 2010 NFCBP funding will support additional reliability improvements and packaging for U.S. transit bus manufacturer installation of their next generation fuel cell power system New manufacturers and suppliers entering program Multiple new teaming arrangements realized - leading to greater competition in market and supply chain for fuel cell buses emerging 17
Critical Lessons Potential of fuel cells for transit proven, but larger deployments needed to reach commercialization Larger fleet demonstrations needed to lower capital costs and demonstrate critical mass in transit operations Federal assistance hastens commercialization Cost differential of initial capital purchase is critical Meeting Federal capital bus requirements can be barrier in early deployments Partnering with industry, government, transit is critical Can facilitate transition from research to commercialization Transit bus market small, but critical to demonstrating value of technology to wider heavy duty market Competitive project selection process spurs innovation and hastens successful results 18
PROJECT TITLE Proterra Hybrid Fuel Cell Bus UTC Nutmeg project with Vanhool/UTC 4 bus demo in CT National Fuel Cell Bus Program: 2006-2009 Projects Current Status Awarded Projects PROJECT DESCRIPTION Test and demonstrate a ground-up design of a lightweight fuel cell bus using two 16kW fuel cell stacks packaged into a single system to maximize efficiency and durability. Integrate UTC fuel cell power system onto four 40-foot hybrid bus and operate for 2 years at CT Transit. Includes technology development to increase durability, reliability and performance of the fuel cell system. FEDERAL FUNDING Awarded $6,565,806 VEHICLE/ PLATFORM Proterra electric bus with Hydrogenics fuel cells $8,355,000 40-ft Van Hool bus with UTC fuel cell PARTNERS/ LOCATION OF WORK PERFORMANCE CTE : Atlanta, GA Proterra: Greenville, SC CMRTA: Columbia, SC NAVC: Boston, MA UTC Power: South Windsor, CT CT Transit, Hartford, CT COMMENTS Bus complete and demonstrated in SC; scheduled to undergo additional testing in Austin, TX. Development complete and demonstration of 4 buses in CT Transit continues. Bus to be demonstrated in NYC in conjunction with NYCTA. Massachusetts Hydrogen Fuel Cell Powered Bus with Nuvera and innovative fueling Integrate Nuvera fuel cell onto lightweight bus with advanced electric drive systems. Demo in Logan Airport in Boston, MA utilizing Nuvera fueling infrastructure. $7,712,140 Lightweight bus/ BAE systems and Nuvera fuel cells NAVC: Boston, MA Nuvera Fuel Cell, Inc., BAE Systems: Johnson City, NY New vehicle system integrator added to team requiring additional bus development tasks. Redesign complete, bus under development. GE Lightweight Fuel Cell Bus with Energy Storage Develop lightweight hybrid fuel cell bus using a small fuel cell with an advanced drive systems by GE, and an advanced energy storage system. Demonstration planned for Albany, NY. $6,695,000 GE drive systems with Ballard fuel cell on Proterra lightweight bus NAVC: Boston, MA GE Global Research: Niskayuna, NY Proterra: Greenville, SC New vehicle system integrator added to team. Mule bus proof of concept complete. Development of bus on Proterra platform, with demonstration planned for Albany 2011. 19 19
PROJECT TITLE American Fuel Cell Bus Demonstration Compound Fuel Cell Hybrid Bus Demonstration Accelerated Fuel Cell Bus Testing NAVC: NYPA buses with Ballard/ New Flyer/ISE - National Fuel Cell Bus Program: 2006-2009 Projects Current Status Awarded Projects PROJECT DESCRIPTION Develop and demonstrate a Buy American compliant fuel cell bus with improved fuel cell, energy storage and electric drive subsystems and demo in dessert climate. Develop and operate a transit bus demonstrator with a fuel cell auxiliary power unit, conventional integrated starter generator coupled to a diesel engine, and advanced control system and energy storage system. Accelerate testing and identification of the weakest areas of fuel cell and hybrid systems, root cause analysis, fuel cell technology development and component upgrades of three fuel cell buses delivered in 2005. Project called for development and demonstration of advanced fuel cell buses and refueling system in New York state. FEDERAL FUNDING Awarded $4,611,807 $5,350,000 3,575,000 $1,400,000 VEHICLE/ PLATFORM BAE drive system with Ballard fuel cell on El Dorado bus Diesel hybrid by Orion/BAE coupled to small fuel cell APU Existing VanHool fuel cell buses with UTC fuel cells New Flyer buses with ISE drive system and PARTNERS/ LOCATION OF WORK PERFORMANCE CALSTART: Pasadena, CA SunLine Transit: Thousand Palms, CA BAE Systems: Johnson City, NY El Dorado: Riverside, CA Ballard FC: Lowell, MA CALSTART: Pasadena, CA MUNI: San Francisco BAE Systems: Johnson City, NY CALSTART: Pasadena, CA AC Transit: Oakland, CA UTC Power: South Windsor, CT NAVC: Boston, MA COMMENTS Program revised and enhanced with BAE, Ballard and El Dorado following departure of original vehicle integrator. Bus undergoing integration. Bus development complete. Bus delivered to San Francisco MUNI to commence demonstration and evaluation in rigorous transit environment. Project completed successfully and independent evaluation report published. Project lacked adequate cost share. Similar project subsequently funded as BC transit FCBs. Project being closed out. Remaining funds (approximately $1,200,000) will be deobligated. 20 20
National Fuel Cell Bus Program: 2006-2009 Projects Current Status Awarded Projects PROJECT TITLE Hybrid Fuel Cell Power Converter Integrated Auxiliary Module for Fuel Cell Bus Survey of Hydrogen Bus Users 2002-2007 National and International Fuel Cell Bus Working Groups PROJECT DESCRIPTION Component development to scale the design of an existing automotive fuel cell DC-DC high power converter to satisfy the range of heavy duty hybrid fuel cell transit bus requirements. Demonstrate a low-cost, compact auxiliary module to provide high current, low voltage DC power and dual independently controllable auxiliary motor drive systems. A survey of all hydrogen bus demonstrations in the world from 2002 to 2007 and a report that reviews and analyzes technologies and results. Outreach and coordination efforts for National and International fuel cell bus working groups to collaborate and share information across various projects. FEDERAL FUNDING Awarded $152,550 $138,450 $84,000 $1,155,000 VEHICLE/ PLATFORM Component project Component project PARTNERS/ LOCATION OF WORK PERFORMANCE CALSTART: Pasadena, CA US Hybrid, Torrance, CA CALSTART: Pasadena, CA US Hybrid, Torrance, CA COMMENTS Project completed successfully. Project completed successfully. Report CTE : Atlanta, GA Project completed successfully and survey report published. Workshops and outreach materials NAVC: Boston, MA Three international FCB workshops successfully conducted, with final workshop under agreement scheduled for Feb 2011. TOTAL all NFCBP projects awarded to date: $45,794,753 21 21
Thank You Walter Kulyk, P.E. Director, Office of Mobility Innovation Federal Transit Administration 1200 New Jersey Avenue S.E., Room E43-302 Washington, DC 20590 202-366-4995 walter.kulyk@dot.gov 22