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Methanol Fuel Cell Bus Visits Florida
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TAMPA, FL (December 9, 1997) — Today, a methanol fuel cell transit bus made its Florida debut. The 30-foot transit bus is the world's first fuel cell vehicle to operate on a liquid fuel (methanol), and is one of only three in existence.
The bus was introduced at a news conference sponsored by the Methanol Institute (MI) at the Hyatt Regency Westshore Hotel in Tampa, site of the 1997 World Methanol Conference.
Georgetown University led the program development team which built the bus under contract to the U.S. Department of Energy with support from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
"This bus is unique for what it doesn't do," said MI President & CEO John Lynn. "It doesn't belch black, sooty exhaust like so many of the diesel buses on the road, and it doesn't make much noise. Georgetown's methanol fuel cell bus does give you all the performance of a standard diesel bus."
This hybrid electric bus is fueled with liquid methanol that is converted on-board to hydrogen gas that powers the fuel cells. The fuel cells combine the hydrogen gas with oxygen in an electrochemical reaction that produces an electric current. Batteries are used on the bus to provide surge power as needed.
The methanol fuel cell bus is highly efficient and extremely low polluting. The bus produces no particulate matter (soot) emissions, and nitrogen oxide (smog precursor) emissions are a small fraction of the most stringent federal standards. In fact, the primary exhaust emission from the bus is water vapor.
Georgetown University is currently developing a commercially viable 40-foot methanol fuel cell bus under a grant from the Federal Transit Administration. The first vehicle is expected to roll out early next year, according to Georgetown Program Manager Robert Wimmer.
The appearance of the Georgetown methanol fuel cell bus in Tampa is sponsored by MI and its following member companies: Ashland Chemical; Caribbean Methanol Company; Celanese Ltd.; ICI Katalco; Lyondell Petrochemical; Methanex Corporation and the Saturn Methanol Company.
Following its appearance in Tampa, the methanol fuel cell bus will travel to Orlando for exhibiting at the 14th International Electric Vehicle Symposium.
Methanol is a clean transportation fuel made from domestic natural gas. One-quarter of the world's supply of methanol is produced at 18 U.S. plants in eight states, including Florida. The industry's total capacity of exceeds 2.5 billion gallons per year.
At the World Methanol Conference, MI also unveiled a prototype direct methanol fuel cell unit. Rather than converting liquid methanol to hydrogen gas, this fuel cell reacts directly with the liquid methanol releasing hydrogen to power the fuel cell. The unit was built for MI by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory of Pasadena, CA, and Giner, Inc. of Waltham, MA.
The Methanol Institute (MI) serves as the voice of the methanol industry in Washington and across the country. MI works to support the use of clean reformulated and oxygenated gasolines, promote the use of methanol as an alternative fuel, and encourage the development of emerging methanol-powered fuel cells.
"Methanol Fuel Cell Bus Visits Florida"
Tuesday, December 9, 1997
Tampa, Florida
Contact: Gregory A. Dolan
(202) 467-5050
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