By using the bus as a public transit vehicle, researchers hope to gain valuable experience and raise public awareness and acceptance of hydrogen as an alternative fuel of the future. Operating data will provide a measurement of the performance, reliability and maintainability of the various system components, primarily the hydrogen engine and the metal hydride storage system. Fossil Fuels Proponents of hydrogen fuel say it is an ideal replacement for fossil fuels, which release gaseous oxides of carbon and nitrogen when they're burned, causing air pollution and contributing to global warming. Although most hydrogen fuel in use today is produced with natural gas through a process that produces CO2, it can be created from water through renewable and non-polluting energy sources like wind and solar power. The technology of the H2Fuel Bus includes the metal hydride storage system, which fuels a standard internal combustion engine, which in turn drives a 70-kilowatt electrical generator that keeps the bus's batteries charged.
Metal hydrides are intermetallic alloys that, when cooled, absorb hydrogen gas into a solid form.
When the hydrides are heated by energy from the bus's generator, they slowly release the hydrogen as a gas to power the bus's engine. The bus currently carries 5,000 cubic feet of hydrogen and can travel over 100 miles before refueling. Although the bus is unique, hydrogen-fueled vehicles are being developed throughout the world, most with more costly hydrogen fuel cells. Currently, widespread use of hydrogen is hindered by public perception about its safety and a lack of infrastructure for large-scale production and distribution. Researchers say that if this project goes well, it could be a major step toward widespread acceptance of hydrogen as an alternative transportation fuel.