Ballard Power Systems expects that its fuel cell technology will power 80% of the zero-emission buses used in public transit systems on European roads by next year.
It bases this anticipation in large part on powering 27 fuel cell buses manufactured by partner Van Hool NV, Europe’s fourth-largest bus original equipment manufacturer.
The Van Hool buses will be operating in such cities as:
- Oslo, Norway (five buses);
- Cologne, Germany (two buses);
- San Remo, Italy (five buses);
- Flanders, Belgium (five buses); and
- Aberdeen, Scotland (10 buses).
Aberdeen’s 10-bus fleet will be the second largest fuel cell-powered fleet in the world, after the 20-bus fleet that has been operating in Whistler since 2010.
“Our fuel cell power module has proven to be highly reliable in a large number of buses in Europe and elsewhere,” said Christopher Guzy, Ballard’s chief technology officer.
He believes that during the last several years, fuel cell products for the bus market have moved beyond the lab and into service with a number of transit authorities around the world.
That evolution comes at a good time for Ballard, which boosted its revenue by US$2.3 million to US$12.3 million in its most recent quarter.
The company’s loss, however, remained at about $8.4 million for the quarter.
Last year the company, which has never been profitable, lost US$44.5 million.
