Zero emission buses

BC Transit will be the first revenue transit service in the world to fully integrate an entire hydrogen fuel cell bus fleet into regular transit operations.

In 2007 the Province announced the acquisition of a 20-bus hydrogen fuel cell bus fleet and the hydrogen to fuel them, purchased with assistance from the both the Province and the Canadian government.

At the centre of the transformation of the energy economy is the hydrogen fuel cell, an efficient way to turn a variety of fuels into useable power with zero emissions. The leading fuel-cell technology for use in transportation applications is the direct hydrogen proton exchange membrane fuel cell. The fuel cell converts chemical energy into electrical energy.

Canadian innovation in hydrogen and fuel-cell research and development is recognized worldwide. Canadian firms are positioned to capitalize on the market opportunities that full scale commercialization of this technology will bring. New Flyer Industries of Winnipeg is the manufacturer of the buses, which will have a range of 500km, a top speed of 90km per hour and a life expectancy of 20 years. The three main sub-contractors on the project are ISE Corporation of San Diego, which is responsible for the hybrid drive system; Ballard Power Systems of Burnaby, which will provide the fuel cell modules; and Dynetek Industries of Calgary, which will work on the hydrogen storage system.

The first bus will be delivered in mid 2008. Once the first bus is approved for service in Victoria and fueling infrastructure is in place, the additional buses will be ordered for delivery by 2009. The buses will be showcased in the Municipality of Whistler during the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. It is then intended to operate the buses in regular service as part of BC Transit’s provincial fleet.

Hydrogen can be stored, transported and used as needed, allowing the introduction of renewable energy sources into the global energy system. At maturity, life cycle costs for fuel cell buses are expected to be lower than today’s conventional buses.

As demonstrated by the unprecedented purchase of a fuel-cell powered transit fleet, BC Transit leads the way in identifying and adopting innovative technology and cleaner fuels for urban transit systems - operating hybrid buses that use diesel and electricity since 2005 - and reinforces BC’s commitment to a cleaner environment and in meeting its clean air and climate change objectives, including a reduction of greenhouse gases by 33% by 2020.

Public transit is already an environmentally responsible option, efficiently moving people in urban communities, helping traffic flow and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The development of hydrogen transit fleets will allow for even greater health, social and environmental benefits than transit already provides.

Hydrogen fuel cell powered vehicles: produce no harmful, greenhouse gas or smog-creating emissions; can be twice as energy efficient as regular transit buses with internal combustion engines; can use a variety of fuel feedstocks - both BC and Canada have renewable sources of energy that such as hydroelectric, solar, wind, tidal, biomass and geothermal energies; and, are much quieter than regular transit buses

Related story: BC introduces country’s first hybrid school bus

See livinggreenvancouver’s Getting around: alternative transportation in Vancouver for other green transportation ideas and livinggreenvancouver’s post on the recent funding announcement for public transit