ATLANTA NONPROFIT RECEIVES $6.42M FROM THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION'S NATIONAL FUEL CELL BUS PROGRAM
Atlanta, GA -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, TX; 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-foot 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.
About CTEThe Center for Transportation and the Environment (CTE) is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization that develops technologies and implements solutions to achieve energy and environmental sustainability. Since its founding in 1993, CTE has managed a portfolio of more than $190 million in federal, state, and local cost-shared research, development, and demonstration projects involving more than 450 organizations in the advanced transportation technology field. CTE has facilitated and leveraged funding for its projects and initiatives from the U.S. Departments of Defense, Energy, Interior, and Transportation, as well as from the U.S. Army and NASA, among many others. CTE is also nationally recognized for its expertise in the measurement and evaluation of Transportation Demand Management programs and manages the Southern Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Coalition (SHFCC) in partnership with the Federal Transit Administration.
