CTE Atlanta Receives $6.42M from FTA for Fuel Cell Bus Program

The Center for Transportation and the Environment (CTE) in Atlanta has been awarded $6.42 million from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to manage several applied research projects with participation from fuel cell manufacturers, engineering firms, universities and transit agencies throughout the country. These projects, which include international outreach and communications, technology development and enhancement, and full-scale bus demonstrations, were funded as part of FTA’s National Fuel Cell Bus Program.

In an effort to showcase the feasibility of transit buses powered by fuel cells and to facilitate the development of commercially viable fuel cells bus technologies, CTE will coordinate vehicle demonstrations with CapMetro in Austin, Texas; Birmingham Jefferson County Transit Authority in Birmingham, AL; Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority in Columbia, SC; and the Ohio State University in Columbus, OH. In addition, CTE will orchestrate a variety of outreach and communication efforts including workgroups and worldwide reports aimed at bolstering public acceptance and understanding of hydrogen based transportation systems.

As part of this most recent round of funding, CTE will demonstrate the Ballard 75 kW fuel cell system on three different hybrid bus platforms. These platforms will include Proterra’s highly efficient 35-foot composite body bus, DesignLine’s 35’ EcoSaver IV heavy duty transit bus, and EVAmerica’s 30-foot Ecobus. In addition, CTE will work with Embedded Power Control, of Salem, VA, to design, build, and demonstrate a DC-DC converter that will provide reliable and efficient interface between fuel cell systems and traction battery systems.

The National Fuel Cell Bus Program is one of three recently announced environmentally-friendly FTA programs. The FTA is also managing the Clean Fuels Grant program and the Transit Investments for Greenhouse Gas and Energy Reduction (TIGGER) program, under which CTE has been awarded grants to provide technical assistance to five transit agencies across the U.S. for the deployment of electric and hybrid electric buses.