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UQM wins $2.2m fuel cell compressor system order for China market
NEWS UK-based ULEMCo, which converts dual-fuel hydrogen-diesel vehicles, to accelerate the commercialisation of hydrogen-fueled commercial vehicles in Spain and the UK. H2B2 has also made a strategic investment in US-based Giner, a leader in largescale hydrogen generators for energy storage and other industrial applications. ULEMCo is partnering with H2B2 as it sees an excellent opportunity for its hydrogen vehicles in the Spanish market following ‘Brexit’, the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union. The companies have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to enter a non-exclusive partnership to maximise the opportunity for the economic use and supply of hydrogen fuel through scaled-up production. ULEMCo’s technology, deployed in heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and heavyduty engines such as buses, will provide H2B2 and end-user customers with a market for high volumes of hydrogen. There is a natural synergy between the partners. ULEMCo – which was founded in 2014 as a spinout of Revolve Technologies – is developing and commercialising technology for converting commercial fleets to run on dual-fuel hydrogen-diesel, and is working with several fleet operators to demonstrate the practicality of hydrogen as a low-carbon fuel, including the Levenmouth Community Energy Project in Scotland, UK [FCB, October 2015, p3]. H2B2 is focused on the economic ‘green’ production of hydrogen, and the integration of large-scale (1 MW plus) hydrogen electrolysers in industrial applications, mobility, and energy storage solutions. The company was founded in 2016 by Dr Javier Brey, previously CEO of Abengoa’s hydrogen and fuel cell companies [January 2012, p5 and August 2015, p11]. H2B2 – which already has an office in California – has also made a strategic investment in Giner, based in Massachusetts, to accelerate the scale-up of its technology and develop low-cost, high-performance PEM electrolysis systems. The partners will combine Giner’s leadership in large-scale hydrogen generators with H2B2’s experience in complete system integration and major project leadership, to take advantage of project opportunities worldwide. H2B2 Electrolysis Technologies, Madrid, Spain. Tel: +34 670 491540, www.h2b2.es ULEMCo Ltd, Liverpool, UK. Tel: +44 1928 787179, www.ulemco.com Giner Inc, Newton, Massachusetts, USA. Tel: +1 781 529 0500, www.ginerinc.com
12
Fuel Cells Bulletin
UQM wins $2.2m fuel cell compressor system order for China market
C
olorado-based UQM Technologies has been awarded a significant order by a major (but unnamed) Chinese OEM, to deliver its R340 fuel cell compressor systems for the rapidly growing automotive fuel cell market in China. The purchase order is valued at $2.2 million, with shipments expected to begin shortly and be completed by the autumn. UQM’s compressor modules are a key component in hydrogen fuel cell systems. The company has been successful with its R340 fuel cell compressor system, designed for light-duty automotive applications featuring fuel cell stacks rated at up to 75 kW. Its fuel cell compressor modules are suitable for automotive (car) applications, as well as in light, medium and heavy-duty vehicles. The systems in this Chinese order will initially be deployed in minivans. ‘We have been working with our customer for over a year on this programme, and are very pleased to receive this significant order from them,’ says Joe Mitchell, president and CEO of UQM Technologies. ‘These systems, which include the motor, controller, compressor and associated software, are ideal for ease of maintenance, long-term durability, and low lifetime operational cost.’ UQM is particularly focused on developing propulsion systems for electric, hybrid electric, plug-in hybrid electric, and fuel cell electric vehicles. Two years ago it received its first fuel cell compressor module purchase order, from Ballard Power Systems in Canada, for R410 fuel cell compressor systems designed for medium-duty automotive and commercial bus applications [FCB, April 2015, p12]. UQM Technologies, Longmont, Colorado, USA. Tel: +1 303 682 4900, www.uqm.com
SunLine wins funding to add fuel cell buses, large hydrogen station
C
alifornia Climate Investments has awarded SunLine Transit Agency a $12.5 million grant for five additional New Flyer fuel cell buses, and to support the development of what will be the largest renewable hydrogen refueling station in the US. Both the heavy-duty PEM fuel
cell modules for the buses and the electrolysis equipment will be supplied by Canadian-based Hydrogenics. The SunLine Fuel Cell Buses and Hydrogen Onsite Generation Refueling Station Pilot Commercial Deployment Project will see Hydrogenics supply five CelerityPlus™ power modules for integration into New Flyer fuel cell buses. It will also upgrade SunLine’s heavy-duty refueling station with a new 1.5 MW HyLyzer™ unit, which will produce up to 400 kg/day of hydrogen onsite, enough to refill 15 buses. ‘This project represents an important step towards commercialising both heavy-duty zeroemission fuel cell vehicles and clean, renewable hydrogen fuel,’ says Mary D. Nichols, chair of the California Air Resources Board. ‘Fuel cell vehicles are part of a comprehensive portfolio needed to achieve California’s long-term greenhouse gas reduction goals, and this project furthers this technology advancement while providing much needed air quality benefits to communities in the Coachella Valley.’ SunLine runs the public transportation system in the Coachella Valley, and will operate the proposed buses daily on two routes from Indio to Mecca/Oasis. The project will collect 12 months of performance data, to be used to help further commercialisation of fuel cell technology. SunLine has been operating ElDorado National 40 ft (12 m) buses featuring Ballard fuel cell modules for several years [FCB, December 2011, p2 and July 2014, p2], so this new project marks a switch to Hydrogenics modules in New Flyer buses. Canadian-based New Flyer Industries will supply five XHE40 Xcelsior® zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell electric transit buses for the project [September 2015, p2]. New Flyer’s system integration of Hydrogenics’ fuel cell technology into a heavy-duty transit bus eliminates the need for an off-board electrical charging system. New Flyer has previously demonstrated an Xcelsior XHE60 articulated bus with a Ballard fuel cell module [April 2016, p1], and – with Ballard – is also part of the Fuel Cell Electric Bus Commercialization Consortium, which will deploy 10 fuel cell buses each with AC Transit in the San Francisco Bay Area and the Orange County Transportation Authority in Greater Los Angeles [March 2017, p3]. Hydrogenics is also building two hydrogen refueling stations in the Greater Toronto Area [see page 9], and has just launched its new 3 MW PEM electrolyser stack [see page 11]. Hydrogenics Corporation, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. Tel: +1 905 361 3660, www.hydrogenics.com New Flyer Industries: www.newflyer.com SunLine Transit Agency: www.sunline.org California Climate Investments: www.caclimateinvestments.ca.gov
May 2017
12
Fuel Cells Bulletin
UQM wins $2.2m fuel cell compressor system order for China market
C
olorado-based UQM Technologies has been awarded a significant order by a major (but unnamed) Chinese OEM, to deliver its R340 fuel cell compressor systems for the rapidly growing automotive fuel cell market in China. The purchase order is valued at $2.2 million, with shipments expected to begin shortly and be completed by the autumn. UQM’s compressor modules are a key component in hydrogen fuel cell systems. The company has been successful with its R340 fuel cell compressor system, designed for light-duty automotive applications featuring fuel cell stacks rated at up to 75 kW. Its fuel cell compressor modules are suitable for automotive (car) applications, as well as in light, medium and heavy-duty vehicles. The systems in this Chinese order will initially be deployed in minivans. ‘We have been working with our customer for over a year on this programme, and are very pleased to receive this significant order from them,’ says Joe Mitchell, president and CEO of UQM Technologies. ‘These systems, which include the motor, controller, compressor and associated software, are ideal for ease of maintenance, long-term durability, and low lifetime operational cost.’ UQM is particularly focused on developing propulsion systems for electric, hybrid electric, plug-in hybrid electric, and fuel cell electric vehicles. Two years ago it received its first fuel cell compressor module purchase order, from Ballard Power Systems in Canada, for R410 fuel cell compressor systems designed for medium-duty automotive and commercial bus applications [FCB, April 2015, p12]. UQM Technologies, Longmont, Colorado, USA. Tel: +1 303 682 4900, www.uqm.com
SunLine wins funding to add fuel cell buses, large hydrogen station
C
alifornia Climate Investments has awarded SunLine Transit Agency a $12.5 million grant for five additional New Flyer fuel cell buses, and to support the development of what will be the largest renewable hydrogen refueling station in the US. Both the heavy-duty PEM fuel
cell modules for the buses and the electrolysis equipment will be supplied by Canadian-based Hydrogenics. The SunLine Fuel Cell Buses and Hydrogen Onsite Generation Refueling Station Pilot Commercial Deployment Project will see Hydrogenics supply five CelerityPlus™ power modules for integration into New Flyer fuel cell buses. It will also upgrade SunLine’s heavy-duty refueling station with a new 1.5 MW HyLyzer™ unit, which will produce up to 400 kg/day of hydrogen onsite, enough to refill 15 buses. ‘This project represents an important step towards commercialising both heavy-duty zeroemission fuel cell vehicles and clean, renewable hydrogen fuel,’ says Mary D. Nichols, chair of the California Air Resources Board. ‘Fuel cell vehicles are part of a comprehensive portfolio needed to achieve California’s long-term greenhouse gas reduction goals, and this project furthers this technology advancement while providing much needed air quality benefits to communities in the Coachella Valley.’ SunLine runs the public transportation system in the Coachella Valley, and will operate the proposed buses daily on two routes from Indio to Mecca/Oasis. The project will collect 12 months of performance data, to be used to help further commercialisation of fuel cell technology. SunLine has been operating ElDorado National 40 ft (12 m) buses featuring Ballard fuel cell modules for several years [FCB, December 2011, p2 and July 2014, p2], so this new project marks a switch to Hydrogenics modules in New Flyer buses. Canadian-based New Flyer Industries will supply five XHE40 Xcelsior® zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell electric transit buses for the project [September 2015, p2]. New Flyer’s system integration of Hydrogenics’ fuel cell technology into a heavy-duty transit bus eliminates the need for an off-board electrical charging system. New Flyer has previously demonstrated an Xcelsior XHE60 articulated bus with a Ballard fuel cell module [April 2016, p1], and – with Ballard – is also part of the Fuel Cell Electric Bus Commercialization Consortium, which will deploy 10 fuel cell buses each with AC Transit in the San Francisco Bay Area and the Orange County Transportation Authority in Greater Los Angeles [March 2017, p3]. Hydrogenics is also building two hydrogen refueling stations in the Greater Toronto Area [see page 9], and has just launched its new 3 MW PEM electrolyser stack [see page 11]. Hydrogenics Corporation, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. Tel: +1 905 361 3660, www.hydrogenics.com New Flyer Industries: www.newflyer.com SunLine Transit Agency: www.sunline.org California Climate Investments: www.caclimateinvestments.ca.gov
May 2017