For these stations, Linde is using technology known as ionic compression, which the company claims, uses less electricity than other hydrogen fueling stations and require less maintenance.
The IC-50 ionic bus fueling system can fill a bus with 30kg of hydrogen in six minutes. The MF-90 car fueling system can fill an automobile in three minutes for 300-400 miles of operation. The company claims that these fuel cell buses and cars produce zero tailpipe emissions
Linde’s refueling station at AC Transit’s Emeryville site will use liquid hydrogen produced off-site and gaseous hydrogen produced from water by an electrolyzer, which will be powered by renewable energy credits generated by AC Transit’s new 575kW solar installation at its central maintenance facility.
The electrolyzer is made by Proton Energy Systems. The station also will be able to fuel hydrogen fuel cell cars made by auto manufacturers, including Hyundai, Daimler, Toyota, GM, and Honda.
Jaimie Levin, director of alternative fuels policy at AC Transit, said: “AC Transit is ready to take our commitment to renewable fuels to the next level. We are confident that Linde’s refueling technology will allow us to move toward our goal of having a commercial fleet of hydrogen fuel cell buses.
“We expect this project to prove that hydrogen fuel cell buses can perform as well or better than diesel fueled buses, while reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in excess of 40%.”
