The largest ever procurement in the United States of fuel cell power systems for public transport buses was announced today at the American Public Transportation Association’s (APTA) annual bus conference in Austin, Texas.
AC Transit of Oakland, CA has agreed to purchase a minimum of eight 120 kW fuel cell systems from UTC Power (NYSE:UTX) of South Windsor, CT, with options for an additional 13 units, to power AC Transit’s second-generation hybrid-electric, fuel cell buses, scheduled for delivery in 2009 and 2010.
AC Transit’s first-generation fuel cell buses feature an earlier model UTC Power fuel cell system, in which fuel economy in diesel gallon equivalency has consistently been between 70% and 100% better than a control fleet of AC Transit diesel buses.
"Our experience with UTC Power and their fuel cell design has been extraordinarily good," commented Rick Fernandez, AC Transit’s General Manager. "Not only have we realized significantly better fuel economy, but their unique design operates at near-ambient pressure resulting in a very quiet vehicle."
In addition to fuel efficiency, the benefits of fuel cell buses include zero harmful tailpipe emissions and smooth, quiet operation. The clean operation means these buses have an immediate, positive impact on street-level emissions.
Jan van Dokkum, UTC Power president, said, "We are on a path to fuel cell commercialization with power plants that have zero emissions, offer high efficiency and quiet operation, and we appreciate the positive ongoing relationship with our partners."
About AC Transit
AC Transit is one of the largest transit agencies in California, serving over 67 million passengers a year throughout a 360-square mile region. For 48 years, AC Transit has been recognized as a national leader in the transit industry. In 2006, AC Transit was recognized by the San Francisco Bay Area’s Metropolitan Transportation Commission with an award of excellence, for its pioneering work in the development of zero-emission technology and its leadership role in advancing the cause of environmentally sound programs for the public transport industry. t
About UTC Power
UTC Power, a United Technologies Corp. company, is a full-service provider of environmentally responsible power solutions. With 50 years of experience, UTC Power is a leader in developing and producing fuel cells for on-site power, transportation, space and defense applications, as well as a leader in innovative, renewable energy solutions and combined cooling, heating and power solutions for the distributed energy market.
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