Harmonization and Sharing of D

International Fuel Cell Bus Demo

Harmonization and Sharing of D

International Fuel Cell Bus Demo

Leslie Eudy, NREL

Fuel Cell Seminar, 2006

Session: #1B : Transportation I

November 15, 2006

Honolulu, Hawaii
Disclaimer and Government Lic

This work has been authored by Midwest Research Institute (MRIDE-AC36-99GO10337 with the U.S. Department of Energy (the “DStates Government (the “Government”) retains and the publisher, 

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Outline

• Overall Working Group Goals• Challenges• Workshop Summary• Data Collection/Sharing• Example Data from U.S.

– Santa Clara VTA, San Jose, CA
Overall Goals

In 2003, the U.S. Federal Transit Adm

began an effort to form a Fuel Cell Bus Group. The goals of the group were to:

• Enhance information sharing on the status 

demonstrations worldwide• Harmonize data collection and evaluation possible learnings• Facilitate coordination and 

collaboration of research, development, and demonstration of future FCBs
Challenges

• Gaining participation from “appropria

– Representatives involved with demonst

collection

– Authority to commit to sharing data

– Availability/willingness to attend worksh

• Solutions:

– Hold workshops in conjunction with eve

“appropriate” people

– Invitations to specific individuals involve

– Establish diverse organizing committee 

EU in planning and funding)

– Rotate locations of workshops to cover 

countries
Challenges

• Consensus on data collection:

– Building common data element list

– Addressing challenges from many coun

• Solutions:

– Develop multiple levels of data sharing:

• High level data – non-sensitive data that ca

available (Phase I and II)

• More detailed data – potentially sensitive da

group participants only 

– Begin constructing list by comparing co

items already being collected

– Involve all work group participants in de
Challenges

• Gaining agreement to share dat

– Involvement from all demonstratio– Willingness to share information t

advance the technology and not leget ahead of the true status

• Solutions:

– Begin with collecting the Phase I, 

data to build trust between particip

– Work as a group to develop the st

collecting and sharing data
Workshops

1st Workshop: Long Beach, 

California, USA

Nov. 19 – 20, 2003

Associated event: EVS 20

4th Workshop: Y

Oct 21 - 13, 200

Associated eve

2nd Workshop: P

Nov. 18 – 20, 2

Associated eve

meeting

3rd Workshop: 

Vancouver, BC, Canada

Dec. 4 – 6, 2005 

Associated event: EDTA Conference
Data Collection/Shar

• Established three levels of data:

Phase I P

High Level Med

Non-sensitive Somew

General information on project, 

operating fleet, buses, 

infrastructure

Bus data: F

availability, r

Infrastructu

efficiency, av

Will be shared Will 

Status: Data collection in progress Status: Fina

Detailed Data

Proprietary

Detailed voltage and current data on the FC and s

Will not be shared
DOE/NREL FCB Evaluation 

Santa Clara VTA 

• 3 prototype FCBs: 

Gillig buses with Ballard FC system (non-hybrid)

• Diesel buses for 

baseline comparison

Number of Buses Bus Manufacturer and Model Model Year Len

gth/Width/Hei

ght 4

GVWR/Curb Wei

ght 

Wheelbase Passenger Capacity

37 

a

Engine Manufacturer and Model

T

Rated Power 

Rated Torque 7

Accessories Emissions Equipment 

Fuel Capacity Ap

Vehicle System

Diesel Bus Diesel Bus

Fuel Cell B

Fuel Cell B
FCB Usage

Cumulative and monthly mileage on VTA 

Cumulative and monthly mileage on VT

0

200400600800

1,0001,200

Nov-04

Dec-04

Jan-05

Feb-05

Mar-05

Apr-05

May-05

Jun-05

Jul-05

Aug-05

Sep-05

Oct-05

Nov-05

Dec-05

Jan-06

Feb-06

Mar-06

Apr-06

May-06

Jun-06

Jul-06

Monthly Miles

05,00010,00015,00020,00025,00030,00035,00040,00045,00050,000

Monthly Miles Cumulative Miles
Fuel Economy

Fuel economy for the FCBs averaged 3.1

mi/diesel equivalent gallon vs. 3.98 mpcontrol buses (-12%)

Average Fuel Economy for FCBs and Dies

0.000.501.001.502.002.503.003.504.004.50

Mar-05

Apr-05

May-05

Jun-05

Jul-05

Aug-05

Sep-05

Oct-05

Nov-05

Dec-05

Jan-06

Feb-06

Mar-06

Apr-06

Ma

Miles per Gallon (Diesel Equivalent)

Fuel Cell Bus Diesel Bus
Availability

• Availability

– Planned use of the FCB: 

• 2 of the 3 buses in service each wee

holidays

• Extra service (between regularly sch

– Goal for FCBs: 67% availability– Actual availability during evaluatio

– Diesel buses: 85%– Breakdown:

Non-Propulsion 

4%

Roadcalls

9%

Preventive 

Maintenance

22%
Infrastructure

• Infrastructure

– Liquid H2 delivery and 

storage

– Station availability: 99%

• Fueling 

year in 

– 460 b– Rate – Avg R– Avg fi
Acknowledgement

• U.S. Federal Transit Administra• U.S. Department of Energy• Northeast Advanced Vehicle Co
Questions

• Leslie Eudy, National Renewable Ene

– 303-275-4412

– Leslie_Eudy@nrel.gov

• Christina Gikakis, U.S. Federal Trans

Administration

– 202-366-2637

– Christina.Gikakis@dot.gov