Hydrogen transition programs

Since the establishment of the zero emission vehicle (ZEV) program by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) in 1990, California has pressed industry to develop and commercialize advanced vehicles, including hydrogen FCVs. Jim Boyd, a commissioner at the California Energy Commission (CEC) and former executive director of CARB, discusses the California program s positive effects on a hydrogen transition and summarizes two new CEC and CARB reports on the state s growing oil dependence. These analyses... 

Similarities Between the Hydrogen Transition and Other Alternative Fuel Programs... 

BaUard Power Systems, the leader in the manufacture of PEEC stacks, has sold at least fifty 3- to 5-kW units worldwide. BaUard is involved in a program in Canada to demonstrate a 120-kW PEEC stack to power a transit 20-passenger, 9752-kg bus. Eor this demonstration, on-board compressed hydrogen, sufficient for 150-km range, is the fuel. 

SPACEEIL has been used to study polymer dynamics caused by Brownian motion (60). In another computer animation study, a modified ORTREPII program was used to model normal molecular vibrations (70). An energy optimization technique was coupled with graphic molecular representations to produce animations demonstrating the behavior of a system as it approaches configurational equiHbrium (71). In a similar animation study, the dynamic behavior of nonadiabatic transitions in the lithium—hydrogen system was modeled (72). 

The scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) was used to directly observe nm size crystallites of supported platinum, palladium and first row transition metals. The objective of these studies was to determine the uniformity of size and mass of these crystallites and when feasible structural features. STEM analysis and temperature programmed desorption (TPD) of hydrogen Indicate that the 2 nm platinum crystallites supported on alumina are uniform In size and mass while platinum crystallites 3 to 4 nm in size vary by a factor of three-fold In mass. Analysis by STEM of platinum-palladium dn alumina established the segregation of platinum and palladium for the majority of crystallites analyzed even after exposure to elevated temperatures. Direct observation of nickel, cobalt, or iron crystallites on alumina was very difficult, however, the use of direct elemental analysis of 4-6 nm areas and real time Imaging capabilities of up to 20 Mx enabled direct analyses of these transition metals to be made. Additional analyses by TPD of hydrogen and photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS) were made to support the STEM observations. 

Campbell S. 2006. Ballard Power System. Development of transition metal/chalcogen based cathode catalysts for PEM fuel cells. DOE Hydrogen Program Review, May 16-19, Washington, DC. Available at http //www.hydrogen.energy.gov/annual review06 fuelcells.html (click on catalysts section). 

The Hydrogen Bus Technology Validation Program in Davis/ Sacramento, California is a multi-district partnership of the City of Davis, Yolo County Transportation District (YCTD), University of California, Davis (UC Davis), UniTrans (Transit authority for the City of Davis and UC Davis), and NRG Tech. 

Therefore, there is a need for the development of a transition plan. This transition plan must address all relevant aspects including safety issues, fuel distribution, communication programs and a package of new policies required to accomplish the successful establishment of the hydrogen economy in a timely manner. 

One of the applications for hydrogen is for Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) fuel cells. As mentioned earlier, one application is a hydrogen fuelled hybrid fuel cell / ultra-capacitor transit bus program where significant energy efficiencies can be demonstrated. Another commercial application is for fuel cell powered forklifts and other such fleet applications that requires mobile electrical power with the additional environmental benefits this system provides. Other commercial applications being developed by Canadian industry is for remote back-up power such as the telecommunications industry and for portable fuel cell systems. 

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