- Email: [email protected]
Ballard in Euro trolley bus deal, launches bus servicing at Van Hool
NEWS ROAD VEHICLES Editorial office: Elsevier Ltd The Boulevard, Langford Lane Kidlington Oxford OX5 1GB United Kingdom Tel:+44 (0)1865 843239 Fax: +44 (0)1865 843971 Website: www.fuelcellsbulletin.com Publisher: David Hopwood Editor: Steve Barrett E-mail: [email protected] Production Support Manager: Lin Lucas E-mail: [email protected] Subscription Information An annual subscription to Fuel Cells Bulletin includes 12 issues and online access for up to 5 users. Prices: 1401 for all European countries & Iran US$1570 for all countries except Europe and Japan ¥186 100 for Japan (Prices valid until 31 December 2014) To subscribe send payment to the address above. Tel: +44 (0)1865 843687 or via www.fuelcellsbulletin.com Subscriptions run for 12 months, from the date payment is received. Permissions may be sought directly from Elsevier Global Rights Department, PO Box 800, Oxford OX5 1DX, UK; phone: +44 1865 843830, fax: +44 1865 853333, email: [email protected]. You may also contact Global Rights directly through Elsevier’s home page (www.elsevier.com), selecting first ‘Support & contact’, then ‘Copyright & permission’. In the USA, users may clear permissions and make payments through the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, USA; phone: +1 978 750 8400, fax: +1 978 750 4744, and in the UK through the Copyright Licensing Agency Rapid Clearance Service (CLARCS), 90 Tottenham Court Road, London W1P 0LP, UK; phone: +44 (0)20 7631 5555; fax: +44 (0)20 7631 5500. Other countries may have a local reprographic rights agency for payments. Derivative Works Subscribers may reproduce tables of contents or prepare lists of articles including abstracts for internal circulation within their institutions. Permission of the Publisher is required for resale or distribution outside the institution. Permission of the Publisher is required for all other derivative works, including compilations and translations. Electronic Storage or Usage Permission of the Publisher is required to store or use electronically any material contained in this journal, including any article or part of an article. Except as outlined above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission of the Publisher. Address permissions requests to: Elsevier Science Global Rights Department, at the mail, fax and email addresses noted above. Notice No responsibility is assumed by the Publisher for any injury and/ or damage to persons or property as a matter of products liability, negligence or otherwise, or from any use or operation of any methods, products, instructions or ideas contained in the material herein. Because of rapid advances in the medical sciences, in particular, independent verification of diagnoses and drug dosages should be made. Although all advertising material is expected to conform to ethical (medical) standards, inclusion in this publication does not constitute a guarantee or endorsement of the quality or value of such product or of the claims made of it by its manufacturer.
12977 Digitally Produced by Mayfield Press (Oxford) LImited
2
Fuel Cells Bulletin
UK expands mobility with Hyundai cars, supermarket dispenser
K
orean automaker Hyundai has delivered six ix35 Fuel Cell cars to the UK, with three of them earmarked as part of the London Hydrogen Network Expansion (LHNE) project. In addition, Sainsbury’s has announced that the nation’s first supermarket forecourt hydrogen dispenser, supplied by Air Products, will be located at its Hendon store by the end of 2014. Air Products, Hyundai Motor UK, and Johnson Matthey – all members of the LHNE consortium – will each use a car to demonstrate how fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) operate in the real world. This will support the project’s work to create the UK’s first hydrogen powered transport system across London and the South East. The cars will complement the hydrogen internal combustion engine (HICE) vans, converted by Revolve Technologies, that are already in service with Commercial Group in London and Swindon [FCB, June 2014, p11, and see page 8]. (The other Hyundai cars will be used by ITM Power and Transport for London in a separate project.) The new dispenser at Sainsbury’s will join a network of existing stations in London and South East England. Owned and operated by Air Products, the 700 bar (10 000 psi) SmartFuel® station will be able to refuel a growing number of hydrogen-powered fleets driving around London. The fuel cell cars about to go on sale from automakers such as Hyundai will require a 700 bar hydrogen fueling infrastructure. The LHNE project is co-funded by Innovate UK (formerly the Technology Strategy Board), which first supported it in 2012 as part of a £7.5 million (US$12 million) initiative to accelerate the commercialisation of fuel cell and hydrogen energy system projects [FCB, July 2012, p1 and February 2013, p8]. The LHNE consortium, led by Air Products, will deliver a network of publicly accessible, fast-fill 350 and 700 bar (5000 and 10 000 psi) hydrogen stations in London and the South East, over a period of three years. The network will include Air Products’ SmartFuel stations, which provide fueling at 350 and 700 bar, and include the company’s technology which complies with the SAE J2601 hydrogen fueling protocol. The UK government recently announced funding to help establish an initial network of up to 15 hydrogen stations by the end of
2015 [FCB, October 2014, p6]. Earlier this year the Mayor of London announced the city’s participation in the separate HyFIVE project, funded by the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU), which will see 110 FCEVs deployed at several European locations alongside new clusters of hydrogen refueling stations [FCB, April 2014, p1]. Three of these new stations are set to be deployed by ITM Power in London by spring 2015, each featuring onsite electrolyser systems and 700 bar refueling capacity. ITM is also locating a vehicle refueler on the Advanced Manufacturing Park in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, which will be an important part of the wider UK hydrogen infrastructure rollout. Planning permission for the site has been granted, and the commissioning process is under way. The onsite hydrogen station will form a Hydrogen Mini Grid (HMG) facility consisting of a 225 kW wind turbine and an ITM Power electrolyser with 220 kg of hydrogen storage, enough to refuel 40 vehicles. Air Products, Hydrogen Energy: www.airproducts.co.uk/h2energy Hyundai, FCEVs: www.hyundai.com/eu/en/Innovation/Eco/index.html UK H2 Mobility: www.ukh2mobility.co.uk/the-project HyFIVE project: www.hyfive.eu Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking: www.fch-ju.eu ITM Power: www.itm-power.com
Ballard in Euro trolley bus deal, launches bus servicing at Van Hool
C
anadian-based Ballard Power Systems will collaborate with Latvian transit bus operator Rigas Satiksme and Czech bus and tram manufacturer Škoda Electric to develop and deploy hydrogen fuel cell-powered trolley buses for the Latvian capital, Riga. Ballard is also partnering with Belgian bus-builder Van Hool to establish a dedicated joint European Service and Parts Centre to support Van Hool buses powered by Ballard fuel cell modules. Ballard has signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding with Rigas Satiksme and Škoda Electric in relation to the Hy-Trolley hydrogen fuel cell-powered trolley bus development and deployment programme for the city of Riga. Rigas Satiksme provides city-wide public transportation services,
November 2014
NEWS / EDITORIAL including more than 250 trolley buses, 116 trams, and 415 diesel buses. It is impractical to expand the catenary (overhead line) network that supports the trolley bus fleet, which means that some operate with diesel generators for part of their route. Replacing these generators with fuel cell modules will eliminate trolley bus emissions. Under Hy-Trolley, Škoda and Ballard will undertake a feasibility study and product evaluation, followed by potential replacement of up to 27 diesel generators on existing trolley buses with Ballard’s next-generation FCvelocity®-HD7 fuel cell power module in the 2016 timeframe. The new module features a reduced parts count (including fewer moving parts), integrated air compressor and coolant pump, along with reduced parasitic load [FCB, September 2011, p3]. In 2009 Škoda Electric collaborated with German-based Proton Motor Fuel Cell GmbH to unveil a passenger bus using Proton Motor’s triple-hybrid fuel cell system, that was operated in Prague [FCB, May 2009, p1]. In other news, Ballard and Van Hool have inaugurated a dedicated joint European Service and Parts Centre, called ESPACE, which will support Ballard-powered Van Hool fuel cell buses in Europe. With a growing number of Van Hool buses on European roads, it is critical that maintenance and repair activities related to fuel cells and hybrid driveline components are readily available from experienced support personnel. By the end of 2014, there are expected to be 27 of these fuel cell buses in operation in five European cities – 10 in Aberdeen [FCB, April 2014, p2], five each in Antwerp [FCB, June 2014, p3], Oslo [FCB, March 2011, p2] and San Remo, and two in Cologne [FCB, May 2014, p5]. ESPACE will be co-located with Van Hool’s manufacturing facility in Lier, storing up to 200 parts onsite including fuel cell modules, batteries, and electric driveline and hydrogen storage components. There will be two dedicated fuel cell service personnel at the facility to provide training and technical assistance to Van Hool and customer representatives, and to impart knowledge of fuel cell technology and Ballard’s FCvelocityHD fuel cell product line. These personnel will be backed by teams of experts and engineers at both companies.
Hydrogenics launches Celerity drop-in unit for buses and trucks
C
Škoda Electric: http://tinyurl.com/skoda-electric
anadian-based Hydrogenics has introduced its new Celerity hydrogen PEM fuel cell system specifically developed for medium- and heavy-duty buses and trucks, offering the reliability and maintainability that bus and truck operations demand. Celerity reduces the time and cost needed to integrate fuel cells into vehicle drivetrains, with installation options that directly reduce the cost of vehicle ownership across global markets. Hydrogenics profiled the new Celerity product at the 2014 American Public Transit Association Expo in Houston, Texas in October. Celerity offers distinct benefits to OEMs, with an all-in design that includes optimal voltage and form-factor configurations for swift integration into medium- and heavy-duty buses and trucks without the need for voltage conversion packages. Within an IP-rated enclosure, the Celerity features include an advanced cold-weather package, achieving system storage capability at –40°C and system startup at –10°C. The system also includes reverse current protection and a fully integrated air blower to deliver the optimum air flow for low-pressure stack operation. ‘To develop Celerity, we began with our HyPM™ HD platform of low-pressure, non-humidified stack technology, which is at the core of our durable and economical fuel cell systems,’ explains CTO Joe Cargnelli. ‘Our HD platform negates the need for air compressors, and our patented HD ‘dry-dry’ technology means our systems operate with non-humidified air and hydrogen.’ ‘Using a design approach that would have been technically and economically unfeasible with pressurised stacks, we have achieved breakthroughs in value and reliability,’ he continues. ‘We believe that progressive fleet operators with GHG [greenhouse gas] reduction commitments will urge OEM suppliers to put Celerity to the test.’ Hydrogenics is a leading developer and manufacturer of hydrogen generation (electrolyser) [FCB, June 2014, p7, and see page 8], energy storage [FCB, August 2014, p9], and hydrogen fuel cell power modules [FCB, January 2014, p8]. The company has manufacturing sites in Germany, Belgium and Canada, and service centres in Russia, Europe, the US, and Canada.
Van Hool, hybrid fuel cell buses: http://tinyurl.com/vanhool-h2
Hydrogenics Corporation, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. Tel: +1 905 361 3660, www.hydrogenics.com
Ballard Power Systems, Burnaby, BC, Canada. Tel: +1 604 454 0900, www.ballard.com Rigas Satiksme: www.rigassatiksme.lv/en
November 2014
EDITORIAL
A
utomakers are finally jostling to launch commercial(-ish) fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) into the real world, as we report on page 1 of this issue, to utilise the expanding hydrogen fueling infrastructure that we have been reporting on more frequently in recent months. Hyundai has probably been a significant catalyst [!] in this process [see page 2], moving into the FCEV space left by delayed launches from the earlier leaders in this high-profile – and very expensive – application of fuel cell and hydrogen technologies. Toyota is launching its Mirai fuel cell sedan in Japan in mid-December, and in selected European markets next September. The company aims to sell 400 cars in Japan by the end of 2015, with annual sales of 50–100 cars in 2015/2016 in Europe (UK, Germany and Denmark), plus an unspecified number of cars in the US. Honda has unveiled its FCV Concept, a successor to the FCX Clarity from 2008, although it won’t go on sale in Japan until the end of March 2016, and subsequently in the US and Europe. The Japanese version of the car features an external power feed, which allows it to function as a small mobile power plant. Honda is linking the car’s launch with further promotion of its Smart Hydrogen Station (SHS), a packaged hydrogen station unit with a high differential pressure electrolyser. The other previous FCEV pacesetters – such as General Motors and Daimler – have been quiet on their own launch dates. But Daimler is a leading participant in the ‘Grand Coalition’ to boost the number of hydrogen fueling stations in Germany [FCB, October 2014, p1], and it recently announced that a Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-CELL car had been driven continuously for more than 300 000 km (186 000 miles). And in the summer the General Motors fleet of Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell vehicles passed 3 million miles (4.8 million km) of real-world driving, with some vehicles accumulating more than 120 000 miles (193 000 km) [FCB, June 2014, p2]. We have two short feature articles in this issue, looking at some of the latest research in Denmark and the US on solid oxide fuel cells and electrolysis cells. First, researchers at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) are starting two new projects that focus on monitoring the reactions and processes in operating solid oxide fuel cells and electrolysis cells at the nanoscale. By observing weak spots as they evolve, they hope to develop innovative ways to minimise degradation. And researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are developing techniques for applying strain to materials, to accelerate oxygen-reduction reactions for applications in SOFCs and SOECs.
Steve Barrett
Fuel Cells Bulletin
3
12977 Digitally Produced by Mayfield Press (Oxford) LImited
2
Fuel Cells Bulletin
UK expands mobility with Hyundai cars, supermarket dispenser
K
orean automaker Hyundai has delivered six ix35 Fuel Cell cars to the UK, with three of them earmarked as part of the London Hydrogen Network Expansion (LHNE) project. In addition, Sainsbury’s has announced that the nation’s first supermarket forecourt hydrogen dispenser, supplied by Air Products, will be located at its Hendon store by the end of 2014. Air Products, Hyundai Motor UK, and Johnson Matthey – all members of the LHNE consortium – will each use a car to demonstrate how fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) operate in the real world. This will support the project’s work to create the UK’s first hydrogen powered transport system across London and the South East. The cars will complement the hydrogen internal combustion engine (HICE) vans, converted by Revolve Technologies, that are already in service with Commercial Group in London and Swindon [FCB, June 2014, p11, and see page 8]. (The other Hyundai cars will be used by ITM Power and Transport for London in a separate project.) The new dispenser at Sainsbury’s will join a network of existing stations in London and South East England. Owned and operated by Air Products, the 700 bar (10 000 psi) SmartFuel® station will be able to refuel a growing number of hydrogen-powered fleets driving around London. The fuel cell cars about to go on sale from automakers such as Hyundai will require a 700 bar hydrogen fueling infrastructure. The LHNE project is co-funded by Innovate UK (formerly the Technology Strategy Board), which first supported it in 2012 as part of a £7.5 million (US$12 million) initiative to accelerate the commercialisation of fuel cell and hydrogen energy system projects [FCB, July 2012, p1 and February 2013, p8]. The LHNE consortium, led by Air Products, will deliver a network of publicly accessible, fast-fill 350 and 700 bar (5000 and 10 000 psi) hydrogen stations in London and the South East, over a period of three years. The network will include Air Products’ SmartFuel stations, which provide fueling at 350 and 700 bar, and include the company’s technology which complies with the SAE J2601 hydrogen fueling protocol. The UK government recently announced funding to help establish an initial network of up to 15 hydrogen stations by the end of
2015 [FCB, October 2014, p6]. Earlier this year the Mayor of London announced the city’s participation in the separate HyFIVE project, funded by the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU), which will see 110 FCEVs deployed at several European locations alongside new clusters of hydrogen refueling stations [FCB, April 2014, p1]. Three of these new stations are set to be deployed by ITM Power in London by spring 2015, each featuring onsite electrolyser systems and 700 bar refueling capacity. ITM is also locating a vehicle refueler on the Advanced Manufacturing Park in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, which will be an important part of the wider UK hydrogen infrastructure rollout. Planning permission for the site has been granted, and the commissioning process is under way. The onsite hydrogen station will form a Hydrogen Mini Grid (HMG) facility consisting of a 225 kW wind turbine and an ITM Power electrolyser with 220 kg of hydrogen storage, enough to refuel 40 vehicles. Air Products, Hydrogen Energy: www.airproducts.co.uk/h2energy Hyundai, FCEVs: www.hyundai.com/eu/en/Innovation/Eco/index.html UK H2 Mobility: www.ukh2mobility.co.uk/the-project HyFIVE project: www.hyfive.eu Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking: www.fch-ju.eu ITM Power: www.itm-power.com
Ballard in Euro trolley bus deal, launches bus servicing at Van Hool
C
anadian-based Ballard Power Systems will collaborate with Latvian transit bus operator Rigas Satiksme and Czech bus and tram manufacturer Škoda Electric to develop and deploy hydrogen fuel cell-powered trolley buses for the Latvian capital, Riga. Ballard is also partnering with Belgian bus-builder Van Hool to establish a dedicated joint European Service and Parts Centre to support Van Hool buses powered by Ballard fuel cell modules. Ballard has signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding with Rigas Satiksme and Škoda Electric in relation to the Hy-Trolley hydrogen fuel cell-powered trolley bus development and deployment programme for the city of Riga. Rigas Satiksme provides city-wide public transportation services,
November 2014
NEWS / EDITORIAL including more than 250 trolley buses, 116 trams, and 415 diesel buses. It is impractical to expand the catenary (overhead line) network that supports the trolley bus fleet, which means that some operate with diesel generators for part of their route. Replacing these generators with fuel cell modules will eliminate trolley bus emissions. Under Hy-Trolley, Škoda and Ballard will undertake a feasibility study and product evaluation, followed by potential replacement of up to 27 diesel generators on existing trolley buses with Ballard’s next-generation FCvelocity®-HD7 fuel cell power module in the 2016 timeframe. The new module features a reduced parts count (including fewer moving parts), integrated air compressor and coolant pump, along with reduced parasitic load [FCB, September 2011, p3]. In 2009 Škoda Electric collaborated with German-based Proton Motor Fuel Cell GmbH to unveil a passenger bus using Proton Motor’s triple-hybrid fuel cell system, that was operated in Prague [FCB, May 2009, p1]. In other news, Ballard and Van Hool have inaugurated a dedicated joint European Service and Parts Centre, called ESPACE, which will support Ballard-powered Van Hool fuel cell buses in Europe. With a growing number of Van Hool buses on European roads, it is critical that maintenance and repair activities related to fuel cells and hybrid driveline components are readily available from experienced support personnel. By the end of 2014, there are expected to be 27 of these fuel cell buses in operation in five European cities – 10 in Aberdeen [FCB, April 2014, p2], five each in Antwerp [FCB, June 2014, p3], Oslo [FCB, March 2011, p2] and San Remo, and two in Cologne [FCB, May 2014, p5]. ESPACE will be co-located with Van Hool’s manufacturing facility in Lier, storing up to 200 parts onsite including fuel cell modules, batteries, and electric driveline and hydrogen storage components. There will be two dedicated fuel cell service personnel at the facility to provide training and technical assistance to Van Hool and customer representatives, and to impart knowledge of fuel cell technology and Ballard’s FCvelocityHD fuel cell product line. These personnel will be backed by teams of experts and engineers at both companies.
Hydrogenics launches Celerity drop-in unit for buses and trucks
C
Škoda Electric: http://tinyurl.com/skoda-electric
anadian-based Hydrogenics has introduced its new Celerity hydrogen PEM fuel cell system specifically developed for medium- and heavy-duty buses and trucks, offering the reliability and maintainability that bus and truck operations demand. Celerity reduces the time and cost needed to integrate fuel cells into vehicle drivetrains, with installation options that directly reduce the cost of vehicle ownership across global markets. Hydrogenics profiled the new Celerity product at the 2014 American Public Transit Association Expo in Houston, Texas in October. Celerity offers distinct benefits to OEMs, with an all-in design that includes optimal voltage and form-factor configurations for swift integration into medium- and heavy-duty buses and trucks without the need for voltage conversion packages. Within an IP-rated enclosure, the Celerity features include an advanced cold-weather package, achieving system storage capability at –40°C and system startup at –10°C. The system also includes reverse current protection and a fully integrated air blower to deliver the optimum air flow for low-pressure stack operation. ‘To develop Celerity, we began with our HyPM™ HD platform of low-pressure, non-humidified stack technology, which is at the core of our durable and economical fuel cell systems,’ explains CTO Joe Cargnelli. ‘Our HD platform negates the need for air compressors, and our patented HD ‘dry-dry’ technology means our systems operate with non-humidified air and hydrogen.’ ‘Using a design approach that would have been technically and economically unfeasible with pressurised stacks, we have achieved breakthroughs in value and reliability,’ he continues. ‘We believe that progressive fleet operators with GHG [greenhouse gas] reduction commitments will urge OEM suppliers to put Celerity to the test.’ Hydrogenics is a leading developer and manufacturer of hydrogen generation (electrolyser) [FCB, June 2014, p7, and see page 8], energy storage [FCB, August 2014, p9], and hydrogen fuel cell power modules [FCB, January 2014, p8]. The company has manufacturing sites in Germany, Belgium and Canada, and service centres in Russia, Europe, the US, and Canada.
Van Hool, hybrid fuel cell buses: http://tinyurl.com/vanhool-h2
Hydrogenics Corporation, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. Tel: +1 905 361 3660, www.hydrogenics.com
Ballard Power Systems, Burnaby, BC, Canada. Tel: +1 604 454 0900, www.ballard.com Rigas Satiksme: www.rigassatiksme.lv/en
November 2014
EDITORIAL
A
utomakers are finally jostling to launch commercial(-ish) fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) into the real world, as we report on page 1 of this issue, to utilise the expanding hydrogen fueling infrastructure that we have been reporting on more frequently in recent months. Hyundai has probably been a significant catalyst [!] in this process [see page 2], moving into the FCEV space left by delayed launches from the earlier leaders in this high-profile – and very expensive – application of fuel cell and hydrogen technologies. Toyota is launching its Mirai fuel cell sedan in Japan in mid-December, and in selected European markets next September. The company aims to sell 400 cars in Japan by the end of 2015, with annual sales of 50–100 cars in 2015/2016 in Europe (UK, Germany and Denmark), plus an unspecified number of cars in the US. Honda has unveiled its FCV Concept, a successor to the FCX Clarity from 2008, although it won’t go on sale in Japan until the end of March 2016, and subsequently in the US and Europe. The Japanese version of the car features an external power feed, which allows it to function as a small mobile power plant. Honda is linking the car’s launch with further promotion of its Smart Hydrogen Station (SHS), a packaged hydrogen station unit with a high differential pressure electrolyser. The other previous FCEV pacesetters – such as General Motors and Daimler – have been quiet on their own launch dates. But Daimler is a leading participant in the ‘Grand Coalition’ to boost the number of hydrogen fueling stations in Germany [FCB, October 2014, p1], and it recently announced that a Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-CELL car had been driven continuously for more than 300 000 km (186 000 miles). And in the summer the General Motors fleet of Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell vehicles passed 3 million miles (4.8 million km) of real-world driving, with some vehicles accumulating more than 120 000 miles (193 000 km) [FCB, June 2014, p2]. We have two short feature articles in this issue, looking at some of the latest research in Denmark and the US on solid oxide fuel cells and electrolysis cells. First, researchers at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) are starting two new projects that focus on monitoring the reactions and processes in operating solid oxide fuel cells and electrolysis cells at the nanoscale. By observing weak spots as they evolve, they hope to develop innovative ways to minimise degradation. And researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are developing techniques for applying strain to materials, to accelerate oxygen-reduction reactions for applications in SOFCs and SOECs.
Steve Barrett
Fuel Cells Bulletin
3