BAE gets fuel-cell contract

Westover engineers to lead the project File photo BAE Systems was awarded a $5.35 million contract to develop hydrogen fuel-cell technology, such as that used on the hybrid electric transit buses used in NewYork City. Related news from the Web Latest headlines by topic: • Chrysler Powered by Topix.net By Jeff Platsky Press & Sun-Bulletin WESTOVER -- BAE Systems of Westover has been awarded a $5.35 million contract to develop advanced hydrogen fuel-cell technology on a hybrid electric transit bus. The award was made by WestStart-Calstart, a non-profit organization that develops advanced transportation technology. BAE engineers in Westover will lead the integration of a fuel-cell auxiliary power unit on a next-generation hybrid model from DaimlerChrysler Commercial Buses. Rich Hopf, program director for Transportation Systems at BAE Westover, said the company expects to have a prototype ready for testing by mid-2009. The fuel-cell on the demonstration bus will use hydrogen to generate power to support such accessories as air-conditioning, air compressors, power steering, cooling fans and pumps, and a 28-volt electric power generator. These systems are normally powered by the diesel engine. The company said that the fuel-cell allows the engine to be shut off at bus stops and traffic lights, making the bus quieter, cleaner and more efficient compared to a conventional diesel bus. The fuel-cell on the demonstration bus will use hydrogen to generate power. Water is the only waste product from the fuel-cell. The fuel-cell for the bus will be developed by a third party. A regular hybrid bus is about 35 percent more efficient than a traditional diesel bus, and Hopf estimates that efficiency can be improved to 50 percent by shoving off some of the load to a fuel cell. Hybrid buses get about 4 1/2 miles per gallon compared with 3 1/2 for a traditional diesel bus, and greenhouse gas emissions are trimmed by about one-third, according to data supplied by BAE. BAE Systems in Westover has been developing and building hybrid drive systems for commercial vehicles for more than a decade. The Daimler Chrysler and BAE team are now supplying hundreds of buses to transit authorities in New York, Toronto and San Francisco as the operators attempt to reduce noxious emissions and save fuel with the hybrid drives. "It will reduce the emission through the reduction of fuel consumption itself and through the overall systems efficiency," Hopf said of the fuel-cell project. A hybrid bus costs about $400,000 apiece versus $250,000 for a traditional diesel bus. "There's an increase emphasis on zero-emission technology and the need to reduce dependence on foreign oil," said Hank McGlynn, vice president of vehicle systems at BAE Westover. Hopf said the most challenging part of incorporating a fuel-cell in the system will be integrating the propulsion and auxiliary systems and have them run off different power sources. WestStart-Calstart is a regional consortium in the western states and Canada that promotes energy efficiency and clean-air transportation technologies. BAE Systems is a founding member of Calstart and is represented on its board of directors.