Grant: Automotive Partnership Canada Project

Fuel cell powered buses provide a clean, quiet, low-emission solution for urban transit services. Depending on the source of hydrogen, these buses can reduce C02 emissions by 60-100% versus incumbent diesel engine technology, while offering similar driving performance and route fiexibility. Fuel cell buses enabie a true zero-emission profile at the point of use, producing only clean water as end product, and enabie a near zero-emission profile on a weil-to-wheel basis where a renewable fuel source is employed. The only other zero-emission alternative for a transit agency is a troiley bus that has limited route flexibility, implementation limitations due to the infrastructure, and costs that are significant. Bailard fuel ceil technology has pioneered the global market for fuei ceil transit buses since the early 1990's. The 6th generation technology is presently deployed for a 20-bus fleet in Whistler, B.C. (in service for the 2010 Olympic Games and beyond), and a 5-bus fleet in London, U.K. What remains to be demonstrated is the durability, fuel economy, and capital costs associated with the incumbent diesel engine technology, in order to proceed to the next ievei of deployment, the priority for Bailard is to drive down the capital cost of fuel ceil modules, while simultaneously extending product life to at least 20,000 hours between replacements. The focus of the proposed research program is on the development and enhancement of the proton exchange membrane (PEM), which is currently a bottleneck for the overail durability and lifetime of the fuel cell stack and hybrid eiectric drive for transit buses. With APC support, the overail objective is to develop improved stack technology capable of increasing the fuel cell stack durability from -6,000 hours to -20,000 hours without impact on functionality and cost. A comprehensive research agenda is proposed that leverages a three-pronged approach: (i) advanced PEM materiais with extended life under bus operation; (ii) fundamental understanding and predictive capability of PEM failure modes for improved fuel cell durability management and reduced maintenance cost; and (iii) low-cost stack health monitoring systems for early detection of failures. The program brings together a cohesive research team of complementary, multidisciplinary expertise from Bailard Power Systems, Simon Fraser University, and University of Victoria, with close interaction between academia and industry. The requested APC support is timely as it will be essential for the development of next generation heavy duty bus fuel ceils, and will further strengthen Canada's competitive edge in this area.