Hydrogen Fuel Cell Buses
The transit bus market is ideal for initiating the first steps towards a hydrogen economy. Hydrogen fuel cell powered buses can provide urban and commercial areas with advantages over typical transportation methods due to their quiet, greenhouse gas emission free capabilities.
Although the efficiency of conventional diesel buses has increased, these vehicles have the greatest potential for energy savings by using high efficiency fuel cells. FCEBs have an average fuel economy of approximately 2.5 km per diesel litre equivalent. The average fuel efficiency of conventional diesel transit buses is approximately 5 9 km per litre of diesel, and an FCEB does approximately 10 – 20km per diesel equivalent.
Although the efficiency of conventional diesel buses has increased, these vehicles have the greatest potential for energy savings by using high efficiency fuel cells. FCEBs have an average fuel economy of approximately 2.5 km per diesel litre equivalent. The average fuel efficiency of conventional diesel transit buses is approximately 5 9 km per litre of diesel, and an FCEB does approximately 10 – 20km per diesel equivalent.
A transit bus powered by fuel cell technology, operated on hydrogen from renewable sources, could displace approximately 89.3 metric tons of CO2 and approximately 20 of NOX emissions, annually. The use of hydrogen has the potential to reduce diesel fuel use by approximately 40 000 litres per vehicle, per year. While there are significant efficiency and environmental benefits associated with FCEBs, expended use of FCEBs may require:
• fuelling infrastructure to be co-located with the FCEB storage facilities,
• redundancy of fuel supply,
• generally accepted fuel measurements & certifications, and
• an established track record for up-time performance.
• fuelling infrastructure to be co-located with the FCEB storage facilities,
• redundancy of fuel supply,
• generally accepted fuel measurements & certifications, and
• an established track record for up-time performance.
Lr-H2 is invested in the application of FCEBs in South Africa and the rest of the continent. These enable the development of a more robust futuristic transportation network and safer electrical generation.