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Center of Excellence in Pursuit of

Zero-Emission Transport

Jaimie Levin

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AC Transit

• Serving 1.5 million

people in 13 cities

• 61 million passengers

• 600 buses

• 2,000 employees

• $325 million budget

• 105 lines (26 transbay)

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AC Transit Regional Role

One of 14 Transit Operators San Francisco MUNI (33%)

BART (Capitol Corridor)

AC Transit

VTA

Samtrans

Caltrain

Golden Gate

County Connection

ACE

Wheels, Tri Delta, Vallejo,

WestCAT

Trendy California

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Is California Bankrupt?

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Fighting AB 32

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Getting Started with Hydrogen• Under Development Since November 1999

• Member of California Fuel Cell Partnership

• Member of National Hydrogen Association

• Member of California Climate Action Registry

and Climate Registry

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• An electrical generator

• NOT a battery

• A chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen

• Emits only water vapor and heat

• 120 kW to 200 kW of output

What’s A Fuel Cell?

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Opening Dedication – March 13, 2006

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1st Generation Bus

• >250,000 Miles (as of SEP 2010)

• >696,000 Passengers

• 60% Better Fuel Economy (8,200 lbs handicap)

• 43% GHG Reductions(Reforming Natural Gas;

100% reduction with solar or wind hydrogen)

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Fuel Cell Cars

• 9 Hyundai Tucson/Kia Sportage SUVs

• Operated by AC Transit Road Supervisors (150 mi/day)

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Fuel Cell Flashlights

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Bay Area Demo

HyRoad/ZEBA

• $54 Million

• 12 New Buses

in 2010

• 5 Transit Agencies

(>2,500 vehicles)

• Shared Service

• Shared Training

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Enhancements from 1st to 3rd

• 5,000 Pounds Lighter/Lower Profile

• OEM Integration/EnerDel Li-ion Batteries

• Hybrid-drive

Components

• FC Cooling

• H2 Storage

• Performance

• FC Durability

• Reliability

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Fueling

Stations –

Expand from

150 kg/Day to

420 kg/Day

62,109 kg

produced through

August 16, 2010

Richmond – Electrolysis

De-commissioned 1/4/08

Emeryville – Solar Electrolysis

and Liquid Supply

Oakland Reformer from

11/15/05 to 8/16/10;

Liquid Supply

July 2011

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Temporary Mobile Fueling

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New Emeryville Energy Station

• 240 to 420 kg/day

• 65 kg/day – Solar Electrolysis

• Six to 12 buses daily;

Expandable to 28 @ 350 Bar

• 5-6 kg/minute fueling

• 20 cars per day @ 700 Bar

• Startup – Nov/Dec 2010

• Toyota, Daimler, Hyundai,

GM and Honda

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ACT Solar Power – 1.3 Megawatts

Solar Panels

AC Transit solar

system will provide

renewable power at

Emeryville station

$6.4 Million FTA

TIGGER I Grant for

new solar system

Existing solar at AC Transit Oakland Division

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• Steps toward Commercialization

1. Fast Fueling

2. Energy Efficient

3. Green Footprint

4. Scalable

5. Integration with Existing Inline Diesel Fueling

New Station Objectives

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Lesson 1

Change Requires Both

“Carrots” And “Sticks”

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Carrots Sticks

State Transportation Funding ($32 million)

• CARB

• CEC

• Hydrogen Highway

• AB 118

• AB 1811

CARB ZEB

Regulation

California Solar Initiative (>$1.5 million) AB 32

Self-Generation Improvement Program

($2 million)

SB 375

Federal Funding ( $15 million)

• FTA, ARRA (Stimulus), DOE

Renewable

Portfolio Standard

Regional and Local Grants ($21 million) AQMD

Private Sector Contributions ($4 million)

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Lesson 2

Government Regulations

Can Level The Playing Field[Internalizing Negative Externalities]

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Public Policy Re-Direction

“When the balance sheet of a company does not

capture the true costs and risks of its business

activities,” and when that company is too big to fail,

“you end up with them privatizing their gains and

socializing their losses.”

Nandan Nilekani, Co-chairman of the Indian technology company Infosys

Excerpted from Tom Friedman , NYT Column, “The Price Is Not Right,”

March 31, 2009

1. Regulatory Controls (AB32 and SB375)

2. Carbon Tax: The Great Common Denominator

3. Funding the Gap

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Public Transport Drivers

Public Policy Concerns

• Health – Local Criteria Pollutants

• Noise Reduction

• CO2 Reduction

• Energy Security

Better Business Practices

• Fuel Price and Price Stability

• Life-cycle Costs

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Lesson 3

Government Can Facilitate

R&D Collaborations

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Phase 1 –

26 Partners – $21 Million

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Phase 2 – $54M Expansion

• SF Bay Region

• State of California

• Federal

• Regional Air District

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Phase 2 – $54M Expansion

• SF Bay Region

• State of California

• Federal ($6.4 Million Solar)

• Regional Air District

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Obama Calls for $50 Billion Spending

on Transportation (NY Times September 6, 2010)

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Lesson 4

Government as Early Adopter

Drives Down Costs

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From R&D to The Marketplace

1. Proven Performance (Vehicles and Fueling)

2. Administration’s Attention (Federal Funding)

3. Falling into The “Valley of Death”

Valley of Death

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Lesson 5

Set Realistic Goals and

Desired Outcomes

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Lesson 6

The Pathway to

Commercialization Is Evolutionary

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1st Generation Design

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2nd Generation Design

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3rd Generation Design

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Technology Thresholds

1. Performance (Reliability and Durability)

2. Cost (CapEx and Life Cycle)

3. Packaging (Weight – 8,200 lb delta, and size)

4. Fuel (Purity, Cost, Speed, STORAGE)

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Commercialization Thresholds

1. Can We Afford to Run It?

(Performance and Maintainability)

2. Can We Afford to Own It?

(Durability and Life Cycle Costs)

3. Can We Afford to Buy It?

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Lesson 7

Investment Creates Jobs

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Lesson 8

Choose Optimal

Technology Partners

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Collaborative Effort

AC Transit – Team LeaderOakland, CA

Client/End User

EnerDelIndianapolis, Indiana

Lithium-ion Battery Supplier

Van HoolBelgium

Bus Manufacturer

UTC Fuel CellsConnecticut

Fuel Cell Developer

LindeGermany

Long-term Hydrogen Supplier

Air ProductsPennsylvania

Temporary Fuel Supplier

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Why Transit?

• The Real World vs. Super Computer:

Infinite Number of Variables

• Government as Early Adopter and

Change Agent (R&D; Tech Validation)

• Centralized Fueling and Maintenance

• Professionally Trained Staff

• Public Exposure

• Energy Benefits of Using Transit

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Lesson 9

“Centres of Excellence” Advance

New Technologies Toward

Commercialization

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Proof of Concept: Performance

Next Steps Evaluation Criteria

12 Next-Generation

Buses in Service by

November 2010

1. Performance by different

operators

2. Fuel economy

3. RELIABILITY

4. HYDROGEN SUPPLY

Four or Five Regional

Center of Excellence :

Demo 25 to 50 Buses

1. Reliability

2. DURABILITY

3. HYDROGEN SUPPLY

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Lesson 10

It Takes A Champion and

A Strong Management Team

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Persistence Works – Don’t Be Afraid

to Repeat Yourself

©The New Yorker Magazine

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Project Management Team

Legal

Project Director

Administration

Project Director

Vehicles

Design and

Engineering Support

Project Director

Facilities

Maintenance Transportation Education and

Outreach

PurchasingIS Support

Service Planning

Financial

Management

Training

Executive OversightGeneral Manager and

Program Director

Capital

Planning

Policy and Strategic Planning

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$54 Million Expenditure/Revenue Plan

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Lesson 11

Build Community and Political

Support From the Outset

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How to Excite Over 100,000 People

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Governor’s Inaugural – January 2007

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Berkeley, Oakland & John Muir

• 7 Elected Board Members

• 13 Cities

• 2 Counties

• 7 State Legislators

• 6 U.S. Representatives

• 2 U.S. Senators

• City of Berkeley

• John Muir and David Brower

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Passenger Survey – 493 Passengers

• Funded by Federal Transit Administration

• ACT’s Fuel Cell Program – 84% Positive

• Program’s Effect on Opinion of Local Government

– 70% Improved

• Importance of Considering Alternative Fuels –

90% Yes

• Support Expanded Fuel Cell Bus Program at

AC Transit – 81% Yes

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Lesson 12

Education and Outreach

Opens Doors

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Outreach and Training

• Employee Training

(700 Drivers; 176 Mechanics)

• 1st Responder Training (600)

• Community Outreach (9,000)

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Education

• HyTEC Curriculum

DOE: $350,000

AC Transit: $430,000

• Conference/

Learning Center

Chevron: $380,000

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Lesson 13

Evaluation Makes

The Program Credible

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Evaluation• In Partnership with NREL,

FTA, and DOE

• DoE has approved

continued data collection

and analysis of 12 buses

and new stations through

2011.

• Monthly and Semi-annual

Performance Reports

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“Good-paying jobs don’t come from bailouts.

They come from start-ups. And where do start-

ups come from? They come from smart,

creative, inspired risk-takers. How do we get

more of those? There are only two ways:

grow more by improving our schools or

import more by recruiting talented

immigrants.”

Excerpted from Tom Friedman , NYT Column, “Start-Ups, Not Bailouts,”

April 4, 2010

The Seeds of Innovation