Progress towards hydrogen use in transportation being made

[philb]

Chevron Fuels AC Transit's HyRoad Hydrogen Fuel Cell Demonstration Program
Bay Area residents can breathe easier thanks to a fleet of zero-emission fuel cell buses and cars operated by the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit), and powered by Chevron Hydrogen, as part of AC Transit's groundbreaking HyRoad hydrogen fuel cell demonstration program.
This morning, federal, state and local representatives formally dedicated the HyRoad demonstration program during a ceremony at AC Transit's Oakland operating division.
Comprehensive
The HyRoad program is considered the most comprehensive hydrogen fuel cell demonstration in North America because it includes:
The HyRoad demonstration project will provide participants with a better understanding of hydrogen's commercial potential because it applies alternative energy technology to a practical, everyday situation.
Widespread commercialization of this technology may still be many years away. But, says AC Transit's General Manager Rick Fernandez, "The place to begin demonstrating any advanced transportation system is with fleet application, which offers the convenience of centralized fueling and maintenance. We also believe that our program, and the pathway we are following, holds the most promise toward achieving the long-term goal of using hydrogen fuel cell technology in the transportation sector."
Public/Private Collaboration
More than 28 businesses and government agencies developed one fully integrated solution that gives the public an opportunity to experience hydrogen on a day-to-day basis.
"Public and private participants worked together to address the community's need for cleaner, more fuel-efficient transportation while acknowledging the business realities involved," says Don Paul Chevron Corporation's vice president and chief technology officer.
Fernandez says, "We believe better, stronger ideas come from close collaboration."
Combined Technology
Technology achievements also are incorporated throughout the program.
The Chevron Hydrogen energy station features an integrated, on-site system for producing hydrogen from natural gas, then purifying, compressing, and storing it for use as a vehicle fuel.
"By producing hydrogen at the site where it is consumed, Chevron is demonstrating a practical approach to hydrogen development," Paul says.
The station will dispense up to 150 kg of hydrogen daily -- enough to fuel three 40-foot fuel cell buses and 10 fuel cell vehicles.
The three fuel cell buses are equipped with the most advanced technology available. Each includes PureMotion(TM) 120 kW fuel cell power systems which provide exceptional fuel efficiency because they combine hydrogen gas stored on the bus with oxygen from the air at near-ambient pressure.
"Because we do not require a compressor, we greatly increase the fuel efficiency and reliability of the system as a whole," says Jan van Dokkum, president of UTC Power. "This design makes the bus unbelievably quiet, plus there are no harmful emissions."
"Integrating the UTC Power fuel cell with a hybrid-electric drive system has enabled us to achieve twice the fuel efficiency of diesel," says Dave Mazaika, president and chief executive officer of ISE.
The bus design has received international recognition. "Utilizing a vehicle design very similar to the one we developed with UTC and ISE for AC Transit, we are building a demonstration bus for the European market to further advance the use of fuel cell hybrid-electric technology," says Leopold Van Hool, managing director of Van Hool NV. In the United States, Van Hool buses and coaches are distributed exclusively by ABC Companies of Minnesota

[philb]

1. Several big companies participating in development of hydrogen based syste

The HyRoad program is funded by grants from various federal, state and local agencies. As part of the Department of Energy's Technology Validation Program, AC Transit will operate a fleet of Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage fuel cell vehicles, powered by a UTC Power fuel cell system.
"Hyundai is pleased to be a partner in developing a future of sustainable energy and transportation," says Dr. Won Suk Cho, president of Hyundai America's Technical Center.
Community Acceptance
AC Transit fuel cell buses have begun carrying real passengers in the real world.
"The response from the community has been overwhelmingly positive," Fernandez says. "When people learn that these fuel cell vehicles emit zero pollution, they can't help but be impressed."
AC Transit is one of the largest transit agencies in California, serving over 64 million passengers a year throughout a 360-square mile region. For 45 years, AC Transit has been recognized as a national leader in the transit industry. AC Transit has captured the American Public Transit Association's "Best of the Best" award five out of the past seven years. The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) of Washington, D.C. named AC Transit a "National Clean Bus Leader" for its advanced environmental technology initiatives. www.actransit.org/environment
Chevron Technology Ventures LLC, a subsidiary of Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX), identifies, develops and commercializes emerging technologies and new energy systems that have the potential to create economic value for the company. www.chevron.com
United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX), based in Hartford, Conn., provides high-technology products and services to the building and aerospace industries. Its UTC Power company, based in South Windsor, Conn., is a full-service provider of environmentally advanced power solutions. With more than 40 years of experience, UTC Power is a world leader in developing and producing fuel cells for onsite power, transportation and space flight applications, and a developer of innovative combined cooling, heating and power applications in the distributed energy market. www.utcpower.com.
Van Hool NV of Belgium manufactures approximately 1,600 buses and coaches, and as many as 4,000 trailers annually, of which approximately 80% are exported worldwide to over 80 countries. Van Hool has a reputation for designing and building high quality, state-of-the-art, tailor-made products. www.vanhool.be. ABC Companies is the exclusive distributor of Van Hool buses and coaches in the U.S. A leader in the sales and leasing of new and pre-owned highway coaches, ABC Companies also provides routine mechanical service, major repairs, and a parts inventory at each of five full service facilities. www.abc-companies.com
ISE Corporation, based in San Diego, California, is a leading supplier of hybrid drive systems and components for heavy-duty vehicles such as buses, trucks, trams, airport equipment, and military vehicles. ISE is a world leader in electric, hybrid-electric, and fuel cell technologies, and the U.S. distributor for Siemens ELFA(TM) electric and hybrid-electric drive components. www.isecorp.com.
Established in 1967, Hyundai Motor Co. has grown into the Hyundai Kia Automotive Group which includes over two dozen auto-related subsidiaries and affiliates. Employing over 57,000 people worldwide, Hyundai Motor vehicles are sold in 193 countries through some 5000 dealerships and showrooms. www.hyundai-motor.com
SOURCE Chevron Corporation

[philb]

2. Hydrogen Made from Biodiesel Using Steam Reformer

Hydrogen Made from Biodiesel Using Steam Reformer
March 22, 2006
Long Beach, California InnovaTek and Seattle BioFuels announce the first successful production of hydrogen from 100% biodiesel in a microchannel steam reformer. This is the first time a renewable fuel source has been used to produce hydrogen in a microchannel steam reformer to power emission-free fuel cells. InnovaTek's reforming system was initially developed to produce hydrogen from fossil fuels.
In addition to biodiesel, InnovaTek has also used its technology to produce hydrogen from glycerol (a byproduct of biodiesel production), and the raw soybean oil that is used to manufacture the biodiesel fuel. The use of glycerol as a source for hydrogen has the additional advantage of producing a valuable commodity from a byproduct of biodiesel production. This benefit contributes favorably to the economics of biodiesel as a fuel that is competitive with petroleum diesel fuel.

InnovaTek successfully demonstrated the ability to generate hydrogen from pure biodiesel (B100) produced at the Seattle Biodiesel production facility. One of the advantages of InnovaTek's technology is the use of micro- or millichannel geometries for the catalytic reactor and heat exchangers. Microchannel reactors offer some distinct advantages over conventional reactors (tubular or vessel), including inherent safety, compact size and high conversion rates. The microchannel reformer achieved a 100% conversion rate of the pure biodiesel (B100).

"The demonstration of the InnovaGen fuel processor with renewable liquid fuels further establishes the flexibility and value of InnovaTek's technology for sustainable power production," said Patricia Irving, CEO and founder of InnovaTek. "We are committed to the development and commercialization of innovative products that will reduce emissions and offer viable alternatives to petroleum."

InnovaTek's InnovaGen fuel processor, which can be used for a broad range of fuel choices, both liquid and gaseous, has been demonstrated to efficiently produce hydrogen from diesel, jet fuel, biodiesel, vegetable oil, glycerol, gasoline, propane, natural gas and methanol.

Seattle BioFuels claims to be the first company in the Pacific Northwest to open and operate a commercial scale (>5 mgy) biodiesel refinery certified by the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM). Using proprietary technology, the company produces a diesel fuel alternative made from vegetable oil.

[philb]

3. Another source of biodiesel: hamburger joint grease

Northwest Burger Chain Begins Biodiesel Production Plan
March 22, 2006
Vancouver, Washington The Holland, Inc., announced that it has implemented a program in which it will recycle the cooking oil from its Burgerville restaurants into biodiesel, a cleaner burning blend of diesel fuel. All 39 Burgerville locations throughout the Pacific Northwest will have their used cooking oil picked up by Portland-based MRP Services and taken to a processing plant where the oil is transformed into methyl esters (biodiesel) and glycerin (a byproduct) through a process called transesterification
The Holland has a long-standing commitment of initiating programs that sustain the environment in which our restaurants are located," said Jack Graves, chief culture officer at The Holland. "By turning our used cooking oil into a fuel source that is less toxic to the environment, we are helping maintain the communities in which we live and work."

MRP Services, a family-owned plumbing and drain service company, will pick up the used cooking oil on a monthly basis, depending on the amount of oil that each Burgerville location uses.

"Burgerville was an obvious source for us to get cooking oil from," said Will Craig, commercial accounts manager, of MRP Services. "Our pump truck division, which picks up the oil, has become the largest division within MRP Services. With the amazing amount of growth within the biodiesel industry and a company like The Holland using their cooking oil for biodiesel, MRP expects that it won't be long before the cooking oil collection becomes a division on its own."

Biodiesel is currently the only fuel to have fully completed the health effects testing requirements of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments. It is made from renewable resources and has lower emissions compared to petroleum diesel, is less toxic than table salt and biodegrades as quickly as sugar.

The state of Washington has House bill 2664 in its Senate that would create a biofuel standard that includes biodiesel. When the bill comes into effect by December 1, 2008, it will require all diesels sold in the state to contain a minimum of 2 percent biodiesel.

[Porcupine]

4. This is the stupidest idea I've ever heard of bar none.

Hey guys!! Lets take an existing liquid fuel, stable at room temperature, storable in existing tankage and usable in existing vehicles. AND CONVERT IT TO....a fuel that requires special engines, special high pressure tankage, is not usable in an existing fleet and has a considerably smaller power to weight ratio.

Now that's thinking.

The problem with the "Hydrogen Future" is that it's utter bullshit. We dont' have enough natural gas right now. The tankage is too expensive and the fuel cells cost as much as a high end mercedes. The buses cited in the OP on this thread cost considerably more than biodiesel buses, natural gas buses or even buses with batteries or flywheel power storage could possibly have cost.

Of course all of the above options would use standard, off the shelf tech. So it wouldn't be experimental and Chevron would lose money right away instead of promoting alternatives that will never be economical.

[NMDemDist2]

6. you have to walk before you can run

they need to keep researching the Hydrogen power source if there is any chance of it being viable

we already have the technology for biodiesel, research is a good thing...

[Porcupine]

7. Hydrogen IS NOT A POWER SOURCE!!!

It's a method of storing power for later use. It's actually a piss poor one at that. The equipment to produce and store hydrogen is always more complicated, more expensive and less energy efficient than batteries, flywheels, liquid fuels (such as biodiesel, methanol, or dimethyl-ether) or plain pressurized air.

It just does not pay off at this time and shows no real hope of doing so. So what's the big freaking push to Hydregen???

[rfkrfk]

5. efficiency, is not stated

efficiency of Real fuel cells,
no better than a diesel, plus the losses
of all the flimflaming, to make the hydrogen

the electrical output of 161.1 horsepower, seems
kinda wimpy for a bus, how much power does a typical
city bus have?

how much platinum in these things?
how long does the fuel cell last?

edit, punctuation