P R O J E C T S__

Current CTE Projects

The following is a sampling of the programs that CTE is managing or has recently completed over the last several years. These summaries are organized under two general categories of activities: 

 

Technology Research and Demonstration Projects

TIGGER - Transit Investments for Greenhouse Gas and Energy Reduction Grants

    Thunder Bay Transit Authority - The Center for Transportation and the Environment (CTE), in partnership with Thunder Bay Transit Authority (TBTA) in Alpena, Michigan is managing a pilot project in which four standard diesel transit buses will be replaced with four Series Hybrid Electric Low Floor Transit Buses. The four diesel series hybrid buses proposed to be deployed are based on a vehicle currently operating in Traverse City. This vehicle has been operating reliably every day for 3 and one half years on the original lead acid battery pack.  The use of a lead acid battery pack with a patented cell level battery management system has allowed these batteries to operate daily with an expected life of 4 to 6 years.  Replacement costs on these batteries is less than 15% percent the cost of typical nickel-metal hydride packs and roughly 6% of the cost of state of the art lithium ion packs.  The vehicle has proven to be 73% more efficient than similar sized diesel buses operating on the same route.

    VIA Metropolitan Transit - The Center for Transportation and the Environment (CTE), in partnership with VIA Metropolitan Transit and the University of Texas Center for Electromechanics is managing a pilot project in which three standard diesel transit buses will be replaced with three composite body, zero emission, quick charge electric buses in daily urban transit service. Considering that a conventional 40’ diesel bus averages 3.8 mpg and current diesel-electric hybrid buses average 4.8 mpg, the transit buses identified in this proposal offer a minimum of 400% increase in fuel economy.

    This application is unique because VIA will use a 100% renewable energy source for the battery quick charge infrastructure at the transit terminal.  The infrastructure will be used to recharge the batteries of the proposed buses once each route cycle.  Grid sourced electrical energy used to recharge the bus batteries shall be augmented with solar energy collected with panels procured and installed under this project.  All of the grid electricity consumed by VIA is currently generated with wind turbines.

National Fuel Cell Bus Technology Development Program
The SHFCC continues to coordinate two fuel cell bus technology projects for its members under FTA’s National Fuel Cell Bus Technology Development Program: (1) a survey of hydrogen bus demonstrations, and (2) the design, build, and demonstration of Proterra’s 35-foot composite-bodied fuel cell hybrid bus.  CTE was the first of the three regional consortia organizations to get under contract with the FTA and is completing the third quarter of work for the two projects. 

Columbia, SC Hydrogen Fueling Station - CTE, in partnership with the University of South Carolina – City of Columbia Fuel Cell Collaborative, South Carolina Research Authority (SCRA), Gas Technology Institute (GTI), EngenuitySC, and others, recently completed a project to install and commission a hydrogen fueling station in downtown Columbia, SC.  Station design and development commenced in May 2008, and the station was operational in advance of the 2009 National Hydrogen Association annual conference, held in Columbia in late March 2009.  The station provides compression, storage, and dispensing of high pressure gaseous hydrogen; planned subsequent phases of the project intend to provide the capability to generate hydrogen on site.

Georgia Hybrid School Bus Project - CTE, in partnership with SK International, Blue Bird Corporation, and the Georgia Tech Research Institute, is managing a pilot project in which eight standard diesel school buses will be replaced with buses utilizing a diesel-hybrid electric propulsion system for the purposes of measuring and evaluating performance, fuel efficiency, and emissions characteristics in comparison with the standard diesel vehicles.  The project would involve four buses each for two Georgia school systems within air quality non-attainment areas as identified by the Georgia Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Air Protection. 

Children are particularly sensitive to air pollution because their respiratory systems are still developing and they have a faster respiratory rate.  More than 24 million children ride a bus to and from school every day, spending roughly 3 billion hours on school buses each year.  Recent studies suggest that children’s school bus commutes potentially expose them to significantly higher concentrations of pollutants than what is measured in a community’s outdoor air.  This is particularly alarming in the context of a major metropolitan area that is already in “non-attainment” of EPA air quality standards such as Atlanta, Georgia.

Fort Lewis Hydrogen Fuel Cell Pilot Program - CTE has contracted to provide a turnkey hydrogen and fuel cell demonstration project at the U.S. Army’s Forces Command at Fort Lewis in Tacoma, Washington. The project includes all of the key elements of a clean hydrogen energy cycle:

    • A renewable energy supply in the form of recovered wastewater treatment plant digester gas
    • Local hydrogen generation via digester gas cleanup and reformation
    • Bulk hydrogen storage, transport, and dispensing
    • Hydrogen load in the form of 19 fuel cell-powered electric forklifts and one fuel cell powered shuttle bus

The project consists of approximately 16 months of infrastructure, vehicle development and deployment followed by two years of pilot program operations and data collection. The project team is led by CTE and consists of Gas Technology Institute, Plug Power, Proterra LLC, and Air Products and Chemicals. The hydrogen generation system is designed and supplied by Gas Technology Institute (GTI) and will consist of three key components: digester gas cleanup, biomethane reformation, and hydrogen purification.  Air Products will provide hydrogen transportation, compression, storage, and dispensing equipment, as well as hydrogen backup.  Plug Power Inc. will provide 19 class 1 GenDrive™ fuel cell units to power a fleet of sit-down lift trucks, which will be used at the logistics facility during the 24 month pilot period.  Proterra will deliver a 35-foot, composite-body, plug-in, battery-dominant fuel cell hybrid electric bus.

This is the third in a series of Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) pilot projects to demonstrate the economic, operational and environmental benefits of powering material handling equipment with fuel cells. The project will provide the Department of Defense with the technical and business case data to support its plans for hydrogen infrastructure and the retrofit or replacement of an existing forklift fleet with hydrogen fuel cell-powered machines, thus enabling DOD to achieve its Energy Policy Act (EPACT 2005) objectives.

Hybrid Hydrogen Utility Vehicle - The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) has selected a research team led by CTE for a two-phase project to identify and apply novel on board hydrogen storage materials, processes, and power system designs to extend the operating range of electric utility vehicles. The CTE team includes Gas Technology Institute, The University of Texas at Austin – Center for Electromechanics, and Hydrogenics Corporation.

In Phase I, the Team conducted an engineering design analysis to identify and compare potential hydrogen storage technologies, such as metal hydrides, adsorbents, chemical hydrides and physical storage for use on an electric utility vehicle. The analysis identified trade-offs in performance for each of the options, including weight, volume and onboard (or operating) energy, and will resulted in a detailed report comparing the vehicle operating with on board hydrogen storage / fuel cell versus current state-of-the-art batteries in terms of length of service per charge or tank of fuel (extended range), power available, and refueling or recharging times. Based on the results of the comparative analysis, the team selected a fuel cell hybrid configuration including high-pressure hydrogen storage along with ultracapacitors for transient energy storage as the best drive train option for this application.  Further, the team developed a complete power system design package integrating the design into the proposed electric utility vehicle.  Through a competitive bid process the Team was awarded a Phase II contract to build two prototype hydrogen utility vehicles for a 12-month operational demonstration at Defense Distribution Depot Warner Robins Georgia (DDWG).

DeKalb County/Metropolitan Atlanta Alternative Fuel and Advanced Vehicle Project - CTE, in partnership the Clean Cities Atlanta Coalition, is managing this program funded by the U.S. Department of Energy.  The goal of this program is to expand the use of alternative fuels and advanced technology vehicles in the metropolitan Atlanta region.  Deemed a non-attainment area for ozone (including its precursors' nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs)) and particulate matter (PM2.5) by the Environmental Protection Agency, the Atlanta region will benefit greatly from the implementation of alternative fuels and vehicles, resulting in significant emissions reduction.

The program has three primary components:  First, to expand the supply of alternative fuels by implementing a facility to convert landfill gas (LFG) to compressed natural gas (CNG) at a DeKalb County landfill; Second, to increase the availability of alternative fuels by implementing six, public-access, CNG fueling stations in the metropolitan Atlanta region; and finally, to increase the demand for alternative fuels by adding 200 CNG, diesel hybrid, and hydraulic hybrid vehicles, for a variety of functions including passenger shuttles, sanitation, and freight delivery, to the fleets of a number of public and corporate entities.  

Flywheel Energy Storage and Conservation - CTE, in partnership with Test Devices, Inc., (TDI), is managing a project to develop and test a prototype flywheel-based energy recovery and storage system.  Test Devices Inc. is a Massachusetts corporation engaged in the testing of jet engine and power generation turbines, specifically “Disk Fatigue Life Testing”.  This testing uses a great deal of electrical power for long periods of time.  In 2007, the company consumed 3,498,500 kW-hr of electricity in their operations, equivalent to the electricity use of 328 households.

Working with the Center for Transportation and the Environment (CTE), Test Devices, Inc. (TDI), will develop prototype energy storage technology and equipment at its facilities to capture and reuse the energy necessary for the company’s core process.  The new technology and equipment is expected to save approximately 80% of the energy used in the TDI process, reducing total annual consumption of power by approximately 60%, saving approximately two million kilowatt-hours annually. 

EPA Emerging Technology Verification - The Center for Transportation and the Environment (CTE) in partnership with Truck Emission Control Technologies, Inc., (TECT) is managing a project that will test the performance of diesel emissions reduction technology on truck fleets in San Antonio, Texas, and Indianapolis, Indiana. This project will be funded through EPA’s Emerging Technologies Program and will be based on products developed by TECT, a developer and manufacturer of particulate control technology located in Anderson, Indiana. The Texas Diesel Testing and Research Center at the University of Houston was selected to perform laboratory emission testing for the validation of the new technology in real-world applications.

The project will focus on the retrofit of seven trucks in Houston and Indianapolis, followed by chassis dynamometer testing and data acquisition on the road. The technology is based on a proprietary composite wire mesh media for the collection of sub-micron and nano-size particles at high efficiencies.  The system is augmented with an exhaust gas recirculation for the reduction of nitrogen oxides. Anticipated outcomes include the broad commercialization of the new product, alleviating particulate and smog pollution in non-attainment areas in the country, as well as the creation of new jobs.

The Southern Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Coalition (SHFCC) – A CTE Initiative
The projects and activities of the Southern Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Coalition (SHFCC) promote interstate cooperation and regional job growth to meet the needs of a hydrogen and fuel cell market that is expected to grow beyond $15 billion by 2015.

    Seeded Demonstration Projects
    Seed funding is typically used to carry out the initial stages of a project, validate a concept, or deploy/enable an early market application. To those ends, a project may include, but is not limited to, data collection, surveying, market analysis, modeling, simulation, strategic planning, and/or equipment purchase. The projects may include medium- and heavy-duty vehicle fuel cell applications and the hydrogen infrastructure necessary to support these applications. Projects that promote transit applications are preferred. The SHFCC provides team organization and project development support, including assistance with comprehensive proposal development, preliminary project validation, and project team commitments. 

    UTCEM/Williams Hybrid Power Flywheel – SHFCC awarded the Flywheel Demonstration Seed Project Grant to the University of Texas – Center for Electromechanics (UT-CEM).  Their proposal, “Assessment of Flywheel Technology Emerging from the Formula One Racing Community and its Benefits to the U.S. Transit Bus Market,” seeks to evaluate the performance and cost benefits of Williams Hybrid Power’s flywheel technology for heavy-duty vehicles in the U.S. market.  Williams Hybrid Power Ltd. (WHP), located in England, has developed a novel, patented technology aimed at providing a cost effective, environmentally friendly solution for mobile energy recovery and storage in flywheels.  A unique, patented feature is the Magnetically Loaded Composite, which in essence means that they can produce a wholly composite flywheel that integrates the magnets of the electric motor into the composite.  This allows for a flywheel system that can be made significantly smaller and lighter than conventional flywheels, and also runs at very high efficiencies of between 97-99%.  The program objective is to determine if this new flywheel energy storage technology provides next-generation fuel cell transit buses with either improved performance or reduced operational cost, or both.  The collaboration between UT-CEM and WHP will consist of a 6-month project period with a proposed start date of October 1, 2009.

    Atlantic Station Fuel Cell Power Plan - The SHFCC convened an Advisory Panel consisting of industry, national laboratory, and academic experts to provide a clear and impartial implementation plan for the Atlantic Station redevelopment project to obtain, install, and operate approximately 4 ½ MW of fuel cell power over ten years.

    UAB Fuel Cell Bus Program Development - The SHFCC has provided seed funding to a team led by the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) to develop a white paper that describes the concept of designing, building, demonstrating, and evaluating the performance and commercial viability of different fuel cell hybrid-electric power train design approaches.  The plan is to demonstrate transit buses at different southern locations over a 3-5 year period.

    The first phase of buses will use a smaller fuel cell power system, resulting in a battery-dominant design.  The first bus will be deployed on the UAB campus.  A second bus will be deployed on the same route, but will use a fuel cell power system and battery storage optimized for the particular route.

    CARTA Fuel Cell Bus Demonstration – Data Collection - The Chattanooga Area Regional Transit Authority (CARTA) operates a fleet of 12 electric buses powered by lead-acid batteries. The buses are scheduled for deployment on an extended route for which the batteries have insufficient capacity. CARTA is considering replacing the batteries with hydrogen-powered fuel cell systems. To test this concept, SHFCC seed funding helped organize a team of SHFCC members to collect data on the energy and power requirements of the buses’ operating profile.  The team conducted the data collection and analysis and submitted a report in May 2006 summarizing the findings, including details on an appropriate fuel cell system replacement pack.

    Atlanta Anaerobic Digester Gas Reformation Project - Work has been completed on a two-month project to study the feasibility of installing an anaerobic digester gas (ADG) reformer at the City of Atlanta’s R.M. Clayton wastewater treatment plant.  The reformer would convert unused and wasted ADG into pure hydrogen, which can be sold to industrial gas distributors or end users, with excess available to fuel city transit buses and other fleet vehicles. 
    The project tested the commercial, technical, and financial viability of the reformer with promising economic and environmental results.

    Fuel Cell Lift Truck Demonstration - As a result of seed funding from the SHFCC, a project to demonstrate and evaluate the performance of a hydrogen fuel cell power system in a lift truck application is well underway in Morristown, Tennessee.  The project team has procured and modified a lift truck with a complete General Hydrogen fuel cell system consisting of a fuel cell stack, an ultracapacitor bank, and hydrogen storage equipment. The test vehicles are now being operated, maintained, and monitored by the manufacturing facility.  Data is being collected on test vehicle performance (power, reliability, ease of use, etc.), fuel efficiency, and environmental impact.  This data will be compared with the same data collected from control (electric and LPG powered) vehicles operated under identical conditions.  Comparative results will be evaluated in terms of economic and environmental costs and benefits.

    University of Texas Flex-fuel HICE Hybrid Shuttle Bus - A team consisting of The Texas H2 Coalition, The Center for Transportation and the Environment (CTE), Ft. Bend County Transit Authority, Gas Technology Institute (GTI) and the University of Texas at Austin Center for Electromechanics (UT-CEM) is working together on a project that will demonstrate and evaluate a 22-foot shuttle bus that uses a flex fuel hydrogen internal combustion engine (HICE).  The performance and maintenance of the vehicle will be evaluated under normal operating conditions in Fort Bend and, depending upon available funding, in Austin as well. The project builds upon current collaborative program activities by UT-CEM and GTI.

    Alternative Fueling Feasibility at the San Antonio, Texas, Airport - SHFCC provided funding to study to determine the feasibility and strategic implications of a plan to develop and build an alternative fueling infrastructure that would include three types of fuel: hydrogen, CNG, and gasoline.  The refueling station would be constructed on land wholly owned by the City of San Antonio at the International Airport site.

    Modeling - CTE has developed an effective Advanced Vehicle Knowledge System (AVKS) to provide decision support and vehicle operation characterization.  The tool encompasses multidisciplinary modeling, simulation, and design exploration/optimization to allow for establishment and consideration of the many different variables at the very outset of projects and project proposals.  These system-level design decisions will allow for educated decision-making, proposal justification, and transfer of early design data to SHFCC project participants. This system can be effectively used during the design stage by a manufacturer, and also during the implementation by a transit agency or project sponsor to provide a basis for educated decision-making and technology understanding.

    Related SHFCC Initiatives

    Texas DOT (TxDOT) Strategic Plan for Hydrogen Vehicles and Fueling Stations - Recently completed by the SHFCC, the strategic plan was created by an 11-member panel of representatives from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, in addition to several TxDOT managers, and defines a path for TxDOT to facilitate the introduction of hydrogen infrastructure and vehicles as a fuel in Texas.  The eleven individuals who served on the panel have a collective hydrogen-related research, demonstration, implementation, and commercialization experience totaling more than 100 years.

    Preliminary Flywheel Design Completed for Fuel Cell Transit Bus - The University of Texas at Austin Center for Electromechanics (UT-CEM) has now completed the preliminary design of a flywheel energy storage system for a fuel cell-powered 40-foot transit bus. The work was made possible by funding from the Federal Transit Administration under the FY2006 Southern Fuel Cell Coalition (SHFCC) program. The flywheel program began with the completion of a review of current design approaches for fuel cell powered transit buses that focused on fuel cell performance, drive train architecture, energy storage systems, and power electronics. 

    Georgetown University Next Generation Bus - In response to a request for proposal released in October 2007 by Georgetown University for its “Generation III Methanol Fuel Cell Transit Bus Integration and Test” program, a project team is now under contract to complete Phase One of the work schedule.  The “Bus Integration Team,” which will be managed by CTE/SHFCC, consists of EVAmerica, LLC, Georgia Tech Research Institute, SKI, Inc., Electro Energy, Inc., and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

 

TRANSPORTATION DEMAND MANAGEMENT PROJECTS

Transportation Demand Management (TDM) provides alternatives to driving alone. It is a strategy used in many communities and regions to help manage the demand for, and improve the performance and efficiency of, their transportation systems. TDM efforts are often focused on work trips, offering commuters alternatives to driving alone to work. Commuters are encouraged to share the ride by carpooling or vanpooling, riding public transit, or walking or biking to work. Teleworking, as well as flexible and alternative work schedules are also TDM choices.

TDM options can help reduce congestion and provide quantifiable reductions in mobile source pollutants that are precursors to the formation of smog.  Commuters also report numerous benefits including reduced commute-related stress and lower commuting costs.

    TDM Measurement and Evaluation
    CTE has nationally recognized expertise in developing and evaluating TDM strategies that have measurable results including, but not limited to:

    • The qualitative and quantitative impacts of program areas such as media/marketing campaigns, employer and commuter outreach services, and regional supporting programs and services
    • The establishment of consistent regional evaluation protocols and reporting procedures
    • The development and implementation of a single, structured evaluation plan including enhanced data collection tools, methodologies, and performance measures resulting in more rigorous and inclusive assessment of TDM effectiveness

    Project Examples

    GDOT Measurement and Evaluation - Since 1999, CTE has led the Georgia Department of Transportation’s (GDOT) measurement and evaluation of TDM programs in the Atlanta region.  CTE along with a national team of TDM experts has provided recommendations to assist GDOT program managers and other TDM decision-makers in the region in making appropriate decisions for funding, program focus, and resource allocations. CTE’s expertise in the measurement and evaluation of TDM program is nationally recognized and the GDOT evaluation program is an acknowledged leader in the practices of TDM evaluation, policy development, and implementation.

    Evaluation of Triangle J TDM Programs FY2010 - CTE is leading an effort to assist the Triangle J Council of Governments in to develop a methodology to evaluate the region’s TDM programs. The Triangle J Council of Governments is a voluntary organization of municipal and county governments in North Carolina’s Region J (Chatham, Durham, Johnston, Lee, Moore, Orange and Wake Counties). The project has three broad objectives: 1) conduct an in-depth analysis to estimate the impacts of existing programs; 2) recommend TDM service enhancements; and 3) develop an evaluation methodology for TJCOG to estimate impacts of TDM programs in the future.

    Missoula (Montana) in Motion - CTE was selected as part of a project team to provide TDM strategic planning, program evaluation, and assessment services to the Missoula in Motion TDM Project in Missoula, Montana. The work focused on inventorying and assessing program participation, performance, and progress and culminated in a 5-year strategic plan.

    Implementing a Statewide Rideshare and Vanpool Program in Arizona - CTE assisted the Arizona Department of Transportation’s Transportation Research Center in investigating the potential for a statewide ridesharing and vanpool program for Arizona. The product of the research was an implementation plan that included key corridors, start-up considerations, staffing, and operational guidelines, as well as funding options for capitalizing the statewide program.

    Association for Commuter Transportation - From June 2004 – June 2007, CTE provided management services to the Association for Commuter Transportation (ACT). ACT is a growing, 850-member, association of organizations and individuals who share in the commitment to develop balanced, effective transportation systems around the country. ACT’s primary mission is to reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality by encouraging the use of, and educating the public about, alternatives to solo commuting. To that end, ACT provides its members with a wealth of information related to transportation demand management and serves as a clearinghouse for best practices in the field, as well as, the latest updates from current legislation.

     

Past Projects

DARPA Electric and Hybrid Electric Vehicle Program - To serve the evolving needs of our national defense, Congress created the Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Technologies (EHV) Program in 1992. Electric and hybrid propulsion systems, which are cleaner and more efficient than conventional systems, have great potential to solve military issues relating to performance, stealth, and fuel efficiency. Electric and hybrid electric systems also have great potential in the commercial marketplace.

Under creative management by the Defense Advanced Research projects Agency (DARPA) of the Department of Defense, the EHV program competitively selected seven regional advanced transportation technology consortia. The consortia organized industry teams to recommend and develop technology solutions, provide additional project management, and ensure that participants would share the cost of developing and implementing advanced vehicle technologies. This fast-tracked partnership initiated over 300 projects with 450 organizations.

The following projects provide a summary of the most successful projects from the DARPA EHV Program developed by CTE and its members. Members have ranged from the largest automotive manufacturers and electronics and defense contractors to universities, national laboratories, and small innovative enterprises.

At the time, these summaries provided a roadmap to market for each of the technologies developed under these projects and have been used to help bring them to the market on the commercial side.

 
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