Across the USA, governments are becoming serious about the transition to zero-emission public transit. The Federal Transit Administration is making more than $1.1 billion in “Low-No” funding available to transit agencies in 2022. Agencies, operators, and municipalities across the United States can apply.
For many agencies, Low-No grants have already kickstarted their transition. The funding is ideal for agencies that have publicly committed to a net-zero future but need help with the costs.
The FTA’s 2022 Low- or No-Emission grant program (Low-No) represents over $1.1 billion in competitive grants for the deployment of zero-emission and low-emission transit buses and supporting equipment and facilities. This is a dramatic increase from the $182 million in funding which was announced for low- and no- emission buses and the facilities that supported them in 2021.
Funding is available for capital projects related to buses and facilities, for a range of eligible purposes, including:
Eligible applicants from state, local, and tribal governments can compete for this funding opportunity.
If your agency is considering transitioning away from fossil-fuel burning buses, you are likely considering the two zero-emission options: hydrogen fuel cell electric or battery electric buses.
In making your transition plans (as required in funding applications), it’s better to focus on the result—a zero-emission transit network—and not the specific technology. Many, if not most, transit networks will need a mix of battery and fuel cell electric buses. Each technology has its strengths.
Sometimes transit agencies assume that they can “do it all” with battery electric buses—but if they specify battery electric buses in their funding request, they are limiting their ability to adapt and use fuel cell electric buses in cases where the latter is the best solution.
New Flyer 60’ articulated bus with a Ballard hydrogen fuel cell engine
Today there are 95 fuel cell electric buses (FCEBs) in operation at eight transit agencies in the US, with 60 more FCEB-committed purchases and over 1,300 in procurement plans for California agencies alone. The buses have proven to be reliable with operating costs similar to diesel buses. Fuel cell electric buses offer a one-to-one replacement for diesel buses. Hydrogen fuel infrastructures are scalable to meet fleet transition requirements. For this reason, more and more transit agencies are deploying FCEBs.
But some agencies tend to overlook fuel cell electric technology because of outdated misconceptions—that hydrogen has safety issues, for example or that the transition to fuel cell systems is too complex.
However, consumer confidence is increasing and fuel cell electric technology is overcoming misconceptions through advancements in engineering and safety regulations. Education is now available and successful deployments act as a resource for transit operators who are transitioning to zero emission fleets.
Here are three key facts that transit operators need to know.
Hydrogen is far safer than the gas and diesel fuels that we have all been relying on for decades. Fuel cell buses are equipped with safety features such as onboard leak detection and “safe shutdown” sensors. In addition, the on-board hydrogen storage tanks are robust and designed to safely vent the tank’s contents if necessary.
Learn more in our blog: Dispelling Common Hydrogen Safety Myths.
Many transit operators have already made the transition to hydrogen-fueled transit buses and have adapted their facilities to handle hydrogen. Tapping into their knowledge and insight will help guide you to a successful deployment.
For a transit system with a CNG fleet, converting depots to hydrogen is straightforward. The handling codes and standards are very similar. Guidelines and safety standards also exist to successfully achieve conversion from diesel fleets.
Learn more in our blog: How to Adapt Your Bus Depot to Service Hydrogen Fuel Cell Buses.
Across the US, transit agencies are already operating fuel cell bus fleets. Every year more and more hydrogen suppliers are entering the market to serve the growing need.
In addition to the type of hydrogen fuel production, there are several variables that have a major impact on the fueling infrastructure costs, such as:
Hydrogen infrastructure technology continues to mature with commercial solutions for transit agencies. Hydrogen produced from renewable sources, such as solar, wind, or biomass are becoming more prevalent and economical.
For the 2022 grant year, the FTA requires that Low-No grant applications include a transition plan. These plans are intended to show that your agency has considered your complete zero emissions fleet plan, and that winning the award will serve the emissions goals of your agency and its governing regulations.
These applications will be assessed by reviewers with a wide variety of backgrounds and experience, amidst a very high volume of applications. It is therefore well advised to keep these transition plans as simple as possible, avoiding overly complex technical jargon. In fact, these plans should not be much longer than two pages.
A zero-emission transition plan must, at a minimum, demonstrate:
At Ballard, we have ample resources to help you prepare your transition plan and to help you strategize your larger zero emissions transition plan with pragmatic approaches and proven solutions.
If there was ever a time to apply for funding, this is it. More money than ever is available to help transit agencies and operators in transitioning to zero-emissions bus fleets. Ballard and our partners are here to guide you through the application process.
At Ballard, we’ve worked with several transit agencies on successful applications for Low-No funding. We understand the FTA’s needs, and we are ready to help you in developing the plans and system requirements that are key to a competitive grant application.