Editing Fuel Cell Bus Club

{{See also|Fuel cell bus}}

The '''Fuel Cell Bus Club''' comprised the participants of three demonstration projects (CUTE, ECTOS and STEP) for [[fuel cell bus]]es in nine European cities and two other worldwide cities between 2001 and 2007.<ref name="Vidueira, J.M. PV">Vidueira, J.M.; Contreras, A.; Veziroglu, T.N. "PV autonomous installation to produce hydrogen via electrolysis, and its use in FC buses", ''International Journal of Hydrogen Energy''. Sep2003, Vol. 28 Issue 9, p927. 11p. DOI: 10.1016/S0360-3199(02)00191-X</ref><ref name=":0" /> The Fuel Cell Bus Club became a forum to share experiences and information between cities and researchers.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Adamson |first=Kerry-Ann |date=November 2004 |title=Fuel Cell Market Survey: Buses |url=http://www.accepth2.com/guidelines/docs/Paper_Fuel-Cell-Today_041201_Fuel-Cell-Bus-Market-Survey.pdf |access-date=26 October 2022 |website=Fuel Cell Today}}</ref> Other cities such as [[Beijing]] also tested buses from the consortium behind the project.<ref name="gov.cn">{{Cite web |date=21 June 2006 |title=First clean fuel buses running on Beijing roads |url=http://www.gov.cn/english/2006-06/21/content_316521.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110504140010/http://www.gov.cn/english/2006-06/21/content_316521.htm |archive-date=2011-05-04 |access-date=2022-10-26 |website=Gov.cn}}</ref>

All three projects used [[Mercedes-Benz Citaro]] buses, with [[hydrogen]] fuel cells from [[Ballard Power Systems]]. When completed in 2007, all three projects were deemed a success by researchers.<ref>Maack, Maria H.; Skulason, Jon Bjorn. "Implementing the hydrogen economy", ''Journal of Cleaner Production''. Jan 2006, Vol. 14 Issue 1, p52-64. 13p. DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2005.05.027.</ref><ref>Petrović, Jelica; Ivković, Ivan; Vujačić, Ivan; Žeželj, Srećko. "POSSIBILITIES OF BUSES ON ALTERNATIVE FUEL IN PUBLIC URBAN TRANSPORT IN BELGRADE", ''Technological and Economic Development of Economy''. 2009, Vol. 15 Issue 1, p78-89.</ref><ref>COCKROFT, COLIN J.; OWEN, ANTHONY D. "The Economics of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Buses", ''Economic Record''. Dec 2007, Vol. 83 Issue 263, p359-370. 12p. 10 Charts. DOI: 10.1111/j.1475-4932.2007.00426.x.</ref> However, the buses were criticised by some operators for their high cost of operation compared to diesel buses, with Madrid reporting that they were around ten times as costly to fuel.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Dodson |first=Sean |date=2003-10-30 |title=All aboard the hydrogen bus |url=http://www.theguardian.com/science/2003/oct/30/research.science1 |access-date=2022-10-26 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}</ref> Others noted the high purchase price of hydrogen buses,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kettle |first=Jane |date=20 January 2005 |title=Hydrogen bus pilot hailed success so far |url=https://www.edie.net/hydrogen-bus-pilot-hailed-success-so-far/ |access-date=2023-01-10 |website=Edie |language=en-GB |quote=The high cost of the hydrogen-powered buses is the main barrier at the moment}}</ref> and the need to build dedicated [[Hydrogen station|hydrogen filling stations]].<ref name=":2" />

== Projects ==
[[File:London-fuel-cell-bus-route25.jpg|thumb|Hydrogen fuel cell powered [[Mercedes-Benz Citaro]] at [[Stratford, London]] in 2004]]

=== CUTE ===
From 2001, the [[European Union]] supported research project Clean Urban Transport for Europe (CUTE) began running hydrogen fuel cell powered buses in nine European cities<ref name="Vidueira, J.M. PV"/> - [[Amsterdam]], [[Barcelona]], [[Hamburg]], [[London]], [[Luxembourg City|Luxembourg]], [[Madrid]], [[Porto]], [[Stockholm]], and [[Stuttgart]].<ref>"Fuel cell buses arrive in London, just Porto to go", ''Fuel Cells Bulletin''. Jan2004, Vol. 2004 Issue 1, p1. 1p. DOI: 10.1016/S1464-2859(04)00039-2.</ref> The project was supported by a consortium of transportation operators, hydrogen infrastructure and fuel cell developers, universities and city authorities.<ref name="behling">{{cite book |author=Noriko Hikosaka Behling |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=V4CF1ji4Z2gC&pg=PA486 |title=Fuel Cells: Current Technology Challenges and Future Research Needs |date=2012 |publisher=Newnes |isbn=9780444563255 |page=486 |accessdate=November 17, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Clean Urban Transport for Europe (CUTE) - Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Buses – Policies |url=https://www.iea.org/policies/3735-clean-urban-transport-for-europe-cute-hydrogen-and-fuel-cell-buses |access-date=2022-10-26 |website=IEA |language=en-GB}}</ref>

At the end of the project in 2006, researchers deemed the project a success.<ref name=":0">Kris Christen. "Europe's CUTE project for hydrogen-fuel-cell buses deemed a success", ''Environmental Science & Technology''. 8/1/2006, Vol. 40 Issue 15, p4541-4541.</ref><ref>Carvalho, Luís; Mingardo, Giuliano; Van Haaren, Jeroen. "Green Urban Transport Policies and Cleantech Innovations: Evidence from Curitiba, Göteborg and Hamburg", ''European Planning Studies''. Mar2012, Vol. 20 Issue 3, p375-396. 22p. DOI: 10.1080/09654313.2012.651801.</ref><ref>"Conference wraps up CUTE, next programs", ''Fuel Cells Bulletin''. Jul2006, Vol. 2006 Issue 7, p10-10. 1p. DOI: 10.1016/S1464-2859(06)71128-2.</ref> A subsequent project (HYFLEET-CUTE) ran from 2006 until 2009, using the existing hydrogen fuel cell buses as well as new buses.<ref>{{Cite web |date=20 March 2008 |title=Hydrogen for clean urban transport in Europe |url=https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/19991 |access-date=10 January 2023 |website=[[Community Research and Development Information Service|European Commission Cordis]]}}</ref>

=== ECTOS ===
ECTOS stands for ''Ecological City Transport System''.<ref>"Iceland: Long days, hot nights - MENTAL FLOSS". ''Star-Ledger'' (Newark, NJ) - Sunday, July 30, 2006</ref><ref>Maack, Maria; Skulason, Jon. "HOT ROCKS AND HYDROGEN", ''Power Engineer''. Feb 2003, Vol. 17 Issue 1, p14.</ref> [[Icelandic New Energy]] was responsible for this project, the aim of which was to demonstrate "state-of-the-art" hydrogen [[technology]] by running part of the [[public transport]] system with fuel cell buses in the city [[Reykjavík]], the capital of [[Iceland]]. Hydrogen was produced from domestic [[Geothermal power|geothermal]] and [[hydroelectricity|hydro-powered]] [[energy]] sources by [[electrolysis]].<ref>{{Cite web |agency=Reuters |title=Iceland buses come clean with hydrogen |url=https://www.cnet.com/tech/tech-industry/iceland-buses-come-clean-with-hydrogen/ |access-date=2023-01-10 |website=CNET |language=en}}</ref> The project ran from 2001 to 2005.<ref name=behling/>

===STEP===
STEP sood for Sustainable Transport Energy for Perth.<ref>Towards Tomorrow ''[[Sun-Herald]]'' 9 November 2003</ref> This initiative of the [[Government of Western Australia]]'s [[Department for Planning and Infrastructure]], was the responsibility of [[Transperth]], though it was run by contracted operator [[Path Transit]]. The three [[Mercedes-Benz]] hydrogen fuel cell buses that operated in [[Perth]] were called "EcoBuses".<ref>Hydrogen buses arrive in Perth ''[[Australasian Bus and Coach]]'' September 2004 page 13</ref> The STEP project ran from 2001 to 2005, with the first buses in service in September 2004.<ref name=behling/> The buses were withdrawn from service in 2007,<ref>{{Cite web |date=20 August 2007 |title=Hydrogen fuel cell bus trial draws to a close |url=https://www.pta.wa.gov.au/news/media-statements/hydrogen-fuel-cell-bus-trial-draws-to-a-close |access-date=2023-01-10 |website=[[Public Transport Authority (Western Australia)|Public Transport Transport Authority]]|language=en-US}}</ref> with one bus subsequently preserved (albeit without the hydrogen fuel cells).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Crosbie |first=Malcolm |date=19 June 2011 |title=Hydrogen fuel Cell Buses |url=https://www.bpswa.org/hydrogen-fuel-cell-buses.html |access-date=2023-01-10 |website=[[Bus Preservation Society of Western Australia]] |language=en}}</ref>

The Perth trial received [[Australian dollar|A$]]2.5 million funding from the [[Department of the Environment and Heritage]] and the [[Australian Greenhouse Office]].<ref name=behling/> It was endorsed by the [[United Nations Environment Programme]] and the [[United Nations Industrial Development Organization]].<ref name=behling/>

[[BP]] produced the hydrogen as a by-product at its [[Kwinana Oil Refinery]] ({{Convert|50|km|mi|1}} south of Perth).<ref name=behling/> The hydrogen was then transported by road in specially designed road tankers to a bus depot in the northern suburbs of Perth.<ref name=behling/> Perth's buses achieved greater reliability and better [[fuel efficiency|fuel economy]] than in any other city in the trial.<ref name=behling/>

By June 2005, the Perth buses had covered more than {{Convert|60000|km|mi|0}} and completed almost 3,000 operational hours, with almost 60,000 passengers having used the service.<ref name=behling/>

* In 2004, STEP received a [[Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport]] Outstanding Achievement award.
* In 2005, it was presented with a Banksia award in the "Government Leading by Example for a Sustainable Future" category.

=== China ===
In 2005, Beijing purchased three hydrogen fuel cell buses from the consortium using [[United Nations Development Programme]] grants. These buses entered service as the first fuel cell buses in China, in June 2006. Scientists and researchers hoped to demonstrate how emission free transport could be achieved in China. At the time, fossil fuels such as coal and oil made up 90 per cent of China's total energy use.<ref name="gov.cn"/> However, the buses were withdrawn after one year, as air pollution reduced the efficiency and operating life of the fuel cells.<ref>{{Cite web |last=杨裕生 |date=20 March 2013 |title=杨裕生院士：氢燃料电池拯救不了蓝天 |url=https://news.sciencenet.cn/htmlnews/2013/3/275834.shtm |access-date=26 October 2022 |website=Sciencenet.cn |language=Chinese}}</ref>

== Vehicles and partners ==
[[File:Fuel cell bus in Brno.JPG|thumb|[[Mercedes-Benz Citaro]] fuel cell bus]]
All projects used [[Mercedes-Benz Citaro]] buses from [[DaimlerChrysler]]. They used [[hydrogen fuel cell]]s were manufactured by XCELLSIS Fuel Cell Engines, now a division of [[Ballard Power Systems]], and were developed as an alliance of Ballard, DaimlerChrysler, and [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]. In many cities, hydrogen fuel was provided by [[BP]]. At the time, they claimed to be the largest fleet of fuel cell buses in the world with 33 in regular service. The buses were estimated to cost [[United States dollar|US$]]1.2 [[million]] each and had a range of {{Convert|300|km|mi|sigfig=1}} and carried around 70 passengers.<ref>{{cite web |title=European Fuel Cell Bus Project Extended by One Year |url=http://www.daimlerchrysler.com/dccom/0-5-7153-1-596003-1-0-0-0-0-0-8-7145-0-0-0-0-0-0-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929083839/http://www.daimlerchrysler.com/dccom/0-5-7153-1-596003-1-0-0-0-0-0-8-7145-0-0-0-0-0-0-1.html |archive-date=29 September 2007 |access-date=31 March 2007 |publisher=DaimlerChrysler}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110927132242/http://www.fuel-cell-bus-club.com/index.php?module=pagesetter&func=viewpub&tid=1&pid=2 Official website of the Fuel Cell Bus Club] (also the official website of CUTE) (archived from the [https://web.archive.org/web/20040926032025/http://www.fuel-cell-bus-club.com/ original])
* [http://www.newenergy.is/ Official website of Icelandic New Energy] (includes details of ECTOS)
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120125072538/http://www.transport.wa.gov.au/19524.asp  Official EcoBus website] (archived from the [http://www.transport.wa.gov.au/19524.asp original])
* [http://www.hydrogen-motors.com/buses.html/ Technical Information of Hydrogen Buses] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090308114643/http://www.hydrogen-motors.com/buses.html |date=2009-03-08 }}

[[Category:Green vehicles]]
[[Category:Fuel cell buses]]