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Obama Administration Finalizes Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards - Includes Incentives for Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles
On August 28th, the Obama Administration finalized the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards which will be increased to 54.5 mpg for cars and light-duty trucks by Model Year 2025. The standards include incentives for fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), putting them on par with battery electric vehicles (BEVs).
The incentives for FCEVs and BEVs consists of a 2.0 credit multiplier for the vehicles beginning in Model Year 2017, which will be phased down to 1.5 by Model Year 2021. The multiplier approach means that these vehicles would count as more than one vehicle in the manufacturer's compliance calculation.
Incentives for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles are also included. The Final Rule issued states that CNG vehicles were included because the natural gas infrastructure "could serve as a bridge to use of advanced technologies such as hydrogen fuel cells."
The Department of Transportation (DOE) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued a press release on the announcement available here. The Final Rule itself can be found online here.
Fuel Cells 2000 Publishes State of the States: Fuel Cells in America 2012
On August 27, Fuel Cells 2000 has published their latest State of the States annual report, "Fuel Cells in America 2012." Highlighting achievements made on a state by state basis, the report confirms that the U.S. is still a leader in the fuel cell industry.
Several advances made over the last year were featured in the report, including the deployment of 1,700 new fuel cell-powered forklifts, 25 fuel cell busses placed or planned for transit service, and more than 74 megawatts of stationary power installed or purchased in the United States.
The 2012 report expands on previous iterations to include nine separate top five states lists. The categories are Fuel Cell Vehicles Deployed, Fuel Cell Busses, Fuel Cell Forklifts (Deployed or Ordered), Hydrogen Fueling Stations, Telecom Backup Power Systems (Reported), Stationary Fuel Cell Systems (Installed), Stationary Fuel Cell Systems (Planned), Share of US Fuel Cell Patents (From 2002-2012), and Successful Fuel Cell Policies.
The Fuel Cells 2000 report is available one line here.
Larson and Blumenthal to Introduce Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Legislation
U.S. Representative John Larson (D-CT) and Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) announced on August 22 that they plan to introduce legislation to improve fuel cell and hydrogen energy infrastructure and increase federal incentives for fuel cell technology. The announcement was made at FuelCell Energy's facilities in Torrington, Connecticut.
In a press release statement, Congressman Larson stated "Our economic recovery depends on smart, forward thinking investments that will help us build a stronger future for everyone. That's why I'm excited about the potential of fuel cells and hydrogen energy."
Congressman Larson's press release can be found here. FuelCell Energy's press release on the announcement is available here.
Toyota Announces Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Sedan to be Rolled out in 2015
On Wednesday August 8, Jim Lentz, President and CEO of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., gave a speech at the 2012 Center for Automotive Research Management Briefing Seminar confirming plans to roll out a hydrogen fuel-cell sedan in 2015. Toyota revealed the FCV-R, a fuel cell sedan concept vehicle, at the Toyota Motor Show in November of last year.
 | | Toyota's FCV-R Concept Car Announced at the Tokyo Motor Show in November 2011 |
On August 15, E&E News published an extensive report on Toyota's announcement. The article mentions that following the announcement from Toyota, a hydrogen fueled Lexus sedan was spotted in California being filled up by an Air Products mobile hydrogen refueler, a photo of which is below.
The E&E article goes on to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing automakers as they gear up for the deployment of FCEV fleets, featuring quotes from a number of industry sources, including several FCHEA members.
Toyota's press release is available online here, the E&E article can be found here, and a gallery of pictures of the Toyota sedan and mobile Air Products fueling station can be found here.
California Fuel Cell Partnership Releases "The California Road Map: Bringing Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles to the Golden State"
 The California Fuel Cell Partnership (CAFCP) published their statewide hydrogen infrastructure road map, "The California Road Map: Bringing Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles to the Golden State" last month.
The document describes the necessary steps to ensure adequate hydrogen infrastructure to support a significant fleet of fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) on California's roads.
The plan recommends the establishment of 68 stations, strategically located in five cluster areas, to support the first 20,000 FCEVs to hit the road. The plan defines the steps needed to be taken in the stages of pre-commercialization (2012-2014) through early commercialization (2015-2017).
Fuel Cell Today's article on the California Road Map can be found here. The complete CAFCP report can be found here.
New Haven, Connecticut Installs Fifth Fuel Cell System
The City of New Haven, Connecticut recently installed its fifth stationary fuel cell power system. A UTC Power Purecell system has been running for about a month powering the 200,000 square foot City Hall and Hall of Records.
 | | Photo by Peter Hvizdak/New Haven Register |
The system is configured for combined heat and power (CHP) and will generate enough heat to meet 60% of the buildings' heating and cooling needs.
The city currently has fuel cells at 360 State St., the Water Pollution Control Authority, Yale, and one that is shared by Hill Central and Roberto Clemente schools.
For more about this installation, you can read the New Haven Register's article here.
Toyota Powering Appliances With Fuel Cell Electric Buses
On August 31, Toyota Motor Corporation announced the development of a fuel cell electric bus which can utilize the electricity generated to power electrical appliances. The buses will have two electrical outlets supplying 1.5 kW at 100 V of alternating current. With this system, the appliances would connect directly to buses.
Toyota is also developing a Vehicle to Home (V2H) power supply system which will let the buses connect directly to a building supplying power to the existing electrical wiring. The V2H buses could supply a maximum of 9.8 kW for 50 hours. The V2H buses will be tested as soon as 2013 and 2014 in Toyota, Japan.
The Toyota press release is available online here.
Shell Offers Free Hydrogen Fill-ups for Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles to Generate Data at New Station in Newport Beach, California
Shell, one of the world's largest oil companies, opened a new hydrogen refueling station on Wednesday, August 1, in Newport Beach, California. The Newport Beach station offers free hydrogen to the state's 200 fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) owners. It is the ninth public hydrogen station in the state.
According to Matias Sanchez Cane, North American Commercial Manager for Alternative Energies at Shell, the station will provide valuable data to Shell including information on "costs, consumer behavior and how to dispense [the hydrogen] efficiently to different vehicles."
More information on the station opening is available on the LA Times here.
Hydrogen Fueling Station Opens at London's Heathrow Airport
On Thursday, August 2nd, Air Products announced the opening of its latest hydrogen fuelling station. Located at London's Heathrow Airport, the station was used by the city's Intelligent Energy fuel cell black cabs during the remainder of the Olympic Games.
The station will be publicly accessible and marks the continued integration of a zero emission fleet into London's transportation sector.
More information on this fuelling station can be found here.
Japan's METI to Demand 30 Billion Yen for Hydrogen Infrastructure Deployment and Hydrogen Supply Development
 On August 25, Mainichi Japan reported that Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) will demand a budget of 30 billion yen (approximately $400 million USD) for the 2013 fiscal year budget. A portion of these funds would be used to develop hydrogen infrastructure to support the deployment of fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) in 2015.
METI intends to construct about 100 hydrogen refueling stations as to be located in and around Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka and Fukuoka creating a hydrogen network within the four metropolitan cities.
The budget appropriation would also be used to fund development of a cheap hydrogen supply system.
More information can be found on Fuel Cell Today's coverage here. The Mainichi Japan article can be found online here.
Ballard Power Expands Customer Base in Southeast Asia
 On August 16, Ballard Power Systems announced the receipt of 102 purchase orders for fuel cell generators by two of Indonesia's leading telecom providers. Included in the order are both direct hydrogen ELECTRAgenTM-H2 and methanol fuelled ELECTRAgenTM-ME power systems. Hydrogen powered systems will be used for "short duration runtime backup power" while those running on methanol will meet "extended duration" needs.
Ballard Power's press release is available online here.
New York Times Green Blog Discusses Fuel Cells and Waste-Water Treatment Facilities
 On August 16, the New York Times Green Blog published an article titled, "In Fuel Cells, Some Hope for Urban Sanitation." The articles discusses a fuel cell technology developed by Oregon State University which uses microbial fuel cells to clean waste-water. The process uses the energy in the waste-water to make the treatment process self-sustaining.
The New York Times article is available online here.
Scotland Announces Plans to Deploy Europe's Largest Fuel Cell Electric Bus Fleet
On August 14th, Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond announced funding of �3.3 million to create a clean energy hub in Aberdeen, including the deployment of Europe's largest hydrogen fuel cell bus fleet. The EU backed project will begin by installing 10 hydrogen fuel cell buses and a corresponding hydrogen fueling station in the city.
The buses will use Ballard Power fuel cell technology while the hydrogen station will be a joint effort between BOC and Scottish & Southern Energy Power Distribution (SSEPD). Both the Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise will contribute up to �1.65 million in funding. The project possesses the goal of integrating hydrogen generation and storage technologies into the region's already extensive wind power network.
More information on this project can be found here.
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On August 10, the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) published the results of a seven year study of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs). 
On August 9, the Office of Naval Research (ONR) announced a contract awarded to UTC Aerospace Systems' legacy Hamilton Sundstrand to develop an air independent Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) power system for an undersea vehicle. The contract is part of ONR's Long Endurance Undersea Vehicle Propulsion (LEUVP) Program and will combine the expertise of UTC Aerospace Systems, UTC Power, and Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.
