It is A Hydrogen Gas Cell Practice Social gathering And California Is Invited

Many slings and arrows have been lobbed on the thought of outfitting electrical automobiles with hydrogen gasoline cells as a substitute of battery packs, however the imaginative and prescient of zero emission energy on-the-go refuses to die. Within the newest improvement, California is including a fleet of hydrogen gasoline cell trains to its steady of fossil gasoline alternate options.

California Will get Extra $$ For (Clear) Hydrogen

For these of you new to the subject, gasoline cell automobiles are electrical automobiles, however they don’t use battery packs as their foremost energy supply. As a substitute, gasoline cells generate electrical energy by means of a response between hydrogen and ambient air, assisted by a catalyst. That sounds easy sufficient, however the intention of bringing down price, dimension, and weight can complicate issues (see extra CleanTechnica protection right here).

Amongst different benefits, advocates word that gasoline cells will be recharged with hydrogen in about the identical time it takes to fill a gasmobile. Detractors word that hydrogen filling stations are all however non-existent in most US states.

California is the exception that proves the filling station rule, because it carries on a years-long initiative to pepper the state with hydrogen gasoline stations. California may also set the foundations, too. The state has a protracted historical past of working forward of the curve to abate tailpipe emissions, leveraging its large transportation market to affect nationwide coverage.

As for whether or not or not that nationwide affect pans out for gasoline cell automobiles, that is still to be seen. Nevertheless, gasoline cell followers in California acquired an enormous thumbs up from the Biden administration final week, within the type of a $1.2 billion funding slice out of the brand new $7 billion Clear Hydrogen Hubs pie. This system deploys cash from the 2021 Bipiartisan Infrastructure Legislation to push down the price of hydrogen and diversify the availability chain.

About 95% of hydrogen produced within the US at present comes from pure fuel, and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Legislation does stipulate a carve-out for pure fuel. Not in California, although. The state’s share of BIL funding goes completely to provide hydrogen from renewable assets, specifically, water and biomass.

Extra Gas Cell Trains For California

To the extent that an ample provide of non-fossil hydrogen helps make the case for gasoline cell mobility, the timing is ideal for gasoline cell trains to increase their footprint in California.

Railway stakeholders have been eyeing gasoline cells as a way of electrifying routes at present plied by fossil-dependent trains, with out having to put money into new transmission strains, overhead wires, substations and different new electrical infrastructure. Hydrogen will be shipped to filling stations by pipeline or truck, ideally utilizing current roads and rights-of-way.

California is already residence to a gasoline cell prepare demonstration specializing in switcher locomotives, which goals to chop diesel emissions at rail yards. Switcher locomotives put in quite a lot of work over the course of a day, and shifting the fleet from diesel to hydrogen-electric is predicted to make a big impression on native air high quality.

One other flurry of exercise is coming within the space of inter-city transportation. On October 12 the Swiss firm Stadler introduced its US department has signed an settlement with California to offer the California State Transportation Company (CalSTA) and Caltrans with 4 hydrogen trainsets.

Which will sound like small potatoes, but when all goes in keeping with plan the settlement comes with an choice to buy 25 extra gasoline cell trains. That represents a brand new vote of confidence from the San Bernardino Transportation Authority, which ordered its first hydrogen prepare from Stadler again in 2019 with an eye fixed on operation in 2024.

Stadler, for one, is assured that the groundwork has been laid for achievement. The corporate notes that its gasoline cell trains have been put by means of their paces in each Switzerland and the US, carefully watched by CalSTA and Caltrans.

As defined by the California Division of Transportation, the $80 million contract with Stadler builds on a partnership between the corporate and the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority. DOT can be proud to level out that the contract is funded by means of “Governor Gavin Newsom’s historic $10 billion, multiyear zero-emission car package deal, which included $407 million for the California State Transportation Company (CalSTA) to display and buy or lease state-of-the-art clear bus and rail gear and infrastructure.”

Credit score additionally goes to Ballard Energy Techniques, which is contributing its gasoline cell experience to the venture underneath a deal signed final yr.

Sparks Fly When Gas Cell Practice Meets Electrical energy

The settlement covers Stadler’s new “FLIRT H2” gasoline cell prepare know-how, which is meant to be a versatile answer that may be utilized to railways which are already electrified with overhead wires, in addition to these with out. The brand new trains construct on the corporate’s success with its electrical FLIRT [Fast Light Intercity and Regional Train] trainsets.

The overwhelming majority of locomotives within the US truly run on electrical drive already, however they use diesel gasoline to run an onboard generator. Stadler launched FLIRT H2 final yr to switch the diesel components with hydrogen gasoline cells and a battery, which permits the prepare to seize waste vitality from braking.

“The gasoline cells convert hydrogen into electrical energy. This electrical energy is distributed to a traction battery. The battery then provides the drive of the car with the ability required at any given time,” explains Stadler. “This configuration additionally permits for recuperation of brake vitality again to the battery. Subsequently, the battery shops each braking energy and energy from the hydrogen cells.”

As a substitute of packing all the pieces right into a standalone locomotive, FLIRT H2 distributes the engineering amongst trainsets consisting of two to 4 vehicles, relying on the wants of the rail operator.

“Similar to the standard FLIRT [ train, the series-produced FLIRT H₂ model can be flexibly and individually adapted to the needs of each client and route network,” Stadler adds. “The FLIRT H₂ vehicle is optionally available with pantographs and a mains transformer so that it can also be operated under an overhead contact line.”

More Fuel Cell Trains For The USA

Elsewhere in the US, the Pennsylvania-based firm Wabtec has launched a battery-electric locomotive, aiming at the overseas market for zero emission trains as well as here in the US. The company is also taking a close look at fuel cell technology. In 2021 the company announced a partnership with GM to adapt the auto maker’s Ultium EV battery technology for a fuel cell locomotive.

Wabtec is also among those exploring the pluses and minuses of replacing diesel with hydrogen combustion engines, in a research project that partners the company with Argonne National Laboratory.

Another legacy US firm, Caterpillar, has also been stirring the fuel cell train pot. In 2021 Caterpillar’s Progress Rail branch hooked up with the railway company BNSF and Chevron’s US subsidiary to launch a fuel cell train demonstration project.

BNSF’s efforts in the fuel cell train area actually go back to 2009, when the company took a 1957 Canadian Pacific GP9 8637 diesel locomotive to its shop in Kansas for a fuel cell makeover. The locomotive had already been converted to battery power in 2006. The fuel cell project partnered BNSF with Vehicle Projects Inc., Ballard Fuel Systems, and the US Department of Defense.

The new fuel cell train saw service as a switcher locomotive and demonstration model at BNSF’s Hobart Yard in California until 2014. Apparently the old GP9 8637 has earned its place in history. Last summer BNSF donated the locomotive to the Oklahoma Railway Museum.

Meanwhile, Over In Congress

Of course, no story about fuel cell trains would be complete without a mention of the US House of Representatives, where the Republican majority has empowered the lunatics run the asylum.

Republican members of Congress fired Representative Kevin McCarthy from the all-important post of Speaker on October 4, and the House cannot conduct normal business until they replace him.

That’s all well and good for any member of Congress who aims to make hash out of the most powerful democracy in the modern world (spoiler alert: all of these Republicans), but the rest of us would like to know that our tax dollars are not being frittered away by a suited-up colony of lemmings in search of a cliff.

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Image: Hydrogen fuel cell trains are coming to California, via California DOT courtesy of Stadler.