Ballard Power Systems has expressed a letter of intent (LOI) to supply 25 hydrogen fuel cell modules called FCvelocity-HD6 to be used as a power source for 25 buses in the City of Sao Paulo, the largest city in Brazil.
Fcvelocity-HD6 Hydrogen Fuel Cell
Ballard Power Systems is now negotiating the final contract with the City of Sao Paulo. The company plans to supply the fuel cell modules in the fiscal year 2012. FCvelocity-HD6, the company’s sixth-generation fuel cell module, can be used as a ready-to-use product for any type of hybrid fuel cell or fuel cell bus platform, thanks to its control unit that interacts with a system controller. The module also improves fuel efficiency, power density and durability when compared to previous generation products.
The National Plan on Climate Change of Brazil comprises inter-ministerial programs planned to reduce emissions in the energy, industrial, forestry and transportation sectors. According to the program, the Brazilian government has initiated the zero-emission transport technology. Around 85% of particulate matter and greenhouse gas emissions are generated by vehicles in Sao Paulo. Hence, clean energy transport is a major concern for the city, which has a goal of decreasing the use of fossil fuel in the bus transportation by at least 10% per year in the coming several years.
The Director of Brazil Market Development at Ballard Power Systems, Silvano Pozzi has stated that the company is happy about the decision of the City of Sao Paulo to implement 25 clean-energy buses. The President and Chief Executive Officer at Ballard Power Systems, John Sheridan stated that this new deal, together with the European supply deal of 21 fuel cell modules, represents major advancements in the commercialization of clean energy buses in the fiscal year 2012.