FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 10, 2012

CONTACT: CLARENCE JOHNSON (510) 891-4745 cljohnson@actransit.org www.actransit.org/environment

FAQs
What is The HyRoad? The HyRoad is AC Transits hydrogen fuel cell demonstration program, the most comprehensive such project in North America. Since 1999, AC Transit has been working to improve zero-emission public transit. Now the HyRoad includes: Zero-Emission Fuel Cell Buses and Cars Fueling Stations On-site Maintenance Solar Production of Hydrogen Biogas-fed Stationary Fuel Cells Education and Outreach First Responder Training Independent Evaluation Leading Role in ZEBA What is ZEBA? Zero Emission Bay Area, or ZEBA, is a group of regional transit agencies jointly operating twelve, zero-emission, fuel cell buses in real-world service throughout the Bay Areas diverse communities and landscapes. ZEBA partners include AC Transit, Golden Gate Transit, MUNI, Samtrans, and VTA. Together, these agencies serve seven California counties with a combined population of over 6.8 million people.

Taking The HyRoad

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How does a fuel cell work? When hydrogen and oxygen combine, they create water and electricity. In a fuel cell, the protons from hydrogen pass through a membrane to the other side of the cell. The electrons from the hydrogen cant pass through the membrane, so they reach the other side of the cell through a circuit, producing electricity. The protons, electrons, and oxygen from the air then combine to form water. What are the environmental benets? Fuel cell vehicles are zero-emission vehicles. No smog-forming nitrogen oxides No particulates No carbon dioxide This means cleaner air, less global warming, and healthier, quieter neighborhoods. Is it safe? Like any fuel, hydrogen is ammable and must be handled carefully. Yet in many ways, hydrogen is safer than conventional fuels: Hydrogen is not toxic. Hydrogen doesnt pollute. Hydrogen is 14 times lighter than air, so if theres ever a leak, hydrogen dissipates rapidly without polluting. How much are greenhouse gases the gases that cause climate change reduced? Hugely. Hydrogen can be made from natural gas or from water. Even when hydrogen is made from natural gas, overall carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are reduced by about 43% compared to buses using diesel. When we use natural gas from landlls, CO2 emissions are even lower. And when we make hydrogen from water using solar electricity, CO2 emissions are completely eliminated.

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How are the HyRoad and ZEBA Funded? The program is funded by generous grants from: Bay Area Air Quality Management District California Air Resources Board California Energy Commission Federal Transit Administration Metropolitan Transportation Commission The programs are also supported by our development partners: UTC Power, Van Hool, EnerDel, Siemens, Linde, Proton Onsite, Jacobs, EPC, and Cupertino Electric. The funds may not be used for any other purpose. What impact does the solar installation have on AC Transit operations? AC Transit has installed 1.125 MW of solar panels across its facilities. Most recently, Cupertino Electric installed 510 kW of solar on the roof of AC Transits central maintenance facility, using a non-penetrating module and racking system. AC Transit will be installing an additional 200 kW of solar in 2012 with funding from a Federal AARA grant. Combined, AC Transits solar panels represent enough power to produce a substantial portion of the eets hydrogen needs renewably, from water. Additionally, the solar installations entitle AC Transit to over $500,000 in rebate incentives from Pacic Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) through the California Solar Initiative (CSI) program. How fast can the system fuel the vehicles? The ionic compression technology Linde has deployed offers the fastest and most reliable hydrogen fueling capability in North America. The fueling system can completely fuel one bus with 30 kilograms of hydrogen in six to eight minutes comparable to lling with diesel fuel. Cars can be fueled in three to four minutes. How efcient is the electrolyzer? The Proton Onsite PEM electrolyzer is one of the most efcient electrolyzers in the world. It represents the largest commercially available PEM electrolyzer anywhere in the world today. It is capable of producing 65 kilograms of hydrogen per day, and works seamlessly with renewable energy input. The electrolyzer produces fuel cell and fuel cell vehicle quality hydrogen (99.999 purity). The electrolyzer is integrated in an outdoor ready, automated, site-ready enclosure that does automated tank lling with power conservation mode during standby.

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How reliable are the fuel cell buses? AC Transits fuel cell buses have already traveled over 500,000 miles and carried over 1.5 million passengers. The UTC Power PureMotion fuel cell system owns the world record for transit bus fuel cell durability, with over 11,500 operating hours. Can passenger vehicles fuel at the station? Yes. Until now, the initial focus of passenger vehicle and station deployment has been Southern California. Thanks to a grant from the California Air Resources Board, which paid for the public passenger vehicle fuel dispenser, the AC Transit station opens up the market for fuel cell vehicle deployment in Northern California. Mercedes-Benz and Toyota are deploying fuel cell vehicles in the Bay Area and will be using the station on a regular basis. As more stations are developed, other manufacturers will follow. Right now, hundreds of fuel cell vehicles are driving on California roads. Thousands are anticipated in the next few years, with commercialization expected around 2015.

Taking The HyRoad

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