Ballard Power Systems to Supply Fuel Cell Modules to HyNor Oslo Buss Group

Ballard Power Systems, a company that supplies clean energy fuel cell products, declared that it has contracted an accord with Van Hool, a Belgian coach manufacturer to provide fuel cell power modules to supply the required power for five emission-free hydrogen fuel cell operated buses owned by HyNor Oslo Buss group to ply in the greater Oslo area.

The signed accord will require Ballard Power Systems to supply five of its patented FC velocity fuel cell modules to Van Hool for fitting in the busses owned by the HyNor Oslo Buss group. The emission-free fuel cell busses measuring around 43 feet and powered by clean hydrogen will join the bus fleet by the end of 2011. The Rosenholm Bus depot will manufacture the required hydrogen locally through electrolysis of water by utilizing the electrical energy generated from renewable energy sources. The use of fuel cells will enable the Oslo bus fleet to reduce 100% of its greenhouse gas emissions, which is estimated to be around 4,000 tons during the first five years of usage.

Siemens, will supply the electric drive systems that get out the required power from the fuel cell modules provided by Ballard. It is anticipated that increased use of fuel cell run busses will allow price and cost reductions to allow fuel cell usage to compete with the existing transport technologies.