This spring, the Hartford, Connecticut region will receive New England’s first zero-emission hybrid electric fuel cell bus.
“Through Congressman Larson’s diligent efforts and the work of our other partners, the Greater Hartford Transit district is pleased to be the recipient of a Federal Transit Administration (FTA) grant to fund New England’s first fuel cell bus,” said Vicki Shotland, Greater Hartford Transit District executive director.
The $2.9 million FTA grant will pay for the bus and the construction of the infrastructure to support future fuel cell transportation projects in Greater Hartford.
“The State’s commitment to this project will help Connecticut retain its dominance in the fuel cell industry,” commented Congressman John Larson. “With the high price of gas and uncertainty in the Middle East, we need to transition from a petro economy to a hydrogen economy. This project is the first step towards a fleet of fuel cell buses and a commercially viable product that will allow consumers to purchase a fuel cell vehicle.”
Fuel cell buses are clean, quiet, electrically propelled vehicles that emit only water vapor from the tailpipe. This bus will feature a PureMotion” 120 kW fuel cell power system built in Connecticut by UTC Power (South Windsor, Conn.) that is more than two times more fuel efficient than a standard diesel system.
“UTC Power is pleased to bring the many benefits of its PureMotion” fuel cell to our home state,” said Jan van Dokkum, UTC Power president. “Since 1998, our fuel cells have powered buses in other parts of the United States, as well as in Spain and Italy. Riders of fuel cell-powered buses become enthused about the technology and the fact that, with no emissions other than water vapor, it is good for the environment,” he said. “Our reliable fuel cell, combined with the electric drive system, provides a clean and unbelievably quiet bus.”
While the Greater Hartford Transit District will administer the FTA grant, the effort to bring the fuel cell technology to the residents of Connecticut required broad cooperation from other partners.
UTC Power will construct and operate a new hydrogen fueling facility in South Windsor. The new facility will fuel the bus daily and expand Connecticut’s ability to refuel hydrogen-powered vehicles in the future.
CTTRANSIT will operate the bus once it arrives in Hartford later this year. CTTRANSIT is in the process of making some relatively minor modifications to the Hartford bus maintenance and storage facility in order to meet safety and fire codes to service and store this new technology vehicle.
“We’re excited to be able to add this zero-emission technology to our fleet and are sure that our passengers and the citizens of Connecticut are going to appreciate this clean and quiet technology,” said David Lee, CTTRANSIT general manager.
ConnDOT, which owns CTTRANSIT, will fund the operating cost of the bus. The vehicle will have maximum exposure to the public by running on the free Star Shuttle service as well as other CTTRANSIT routes in the Greater Hartford area.
“Operating this zero-emission bus is a step in the right direction for the future transportation needs of the state of Connecticut,” remarked Commissioner Ralph Carpenter, ConnDOT. “This bus represents our commitment to explore new and innovative technology options for transit.”
CRCOG played a key role in the early planning and coordination of the effort to bring the fuel cell bus to Hartford. “This coordinated effort among all of the partners helps Connecticut to take a giant leap forward with fuel cell technology, something all of the state’s residents will benefit from,” said Tom Maziarz, CRCOG director of transportation.
The fuel cell bus is currently being assembled in California and is scheduled to begin operation in Hartford in the spring. Passengers who ride the bus will be able to read educational posters about zero-emission fuel cell technology during their trip, advancing the public’s understanding and knowledge of fuel cell technology.