MTD Champaign-Urbana has leveraged public and private collaborations to become the first transit agency in the United States to operate a hydrogen fuel cell fleet entirely powered by renewable energy.
The consortium is comprised of local, corporate, state, and federal government bodies, as well as non-profit organizations. Along with them, the agency made history earlier this year by introducing a new fleet of hydrogen-powered transit cars. This includes the first commercial deployment of 60-foot articulated fuel cell electric buses in the United States and a 100 percent green hydrogen production facility.
The collaborations were critical in enabling Champaign-Urbana MTD to accomplish its vision for a renewable H2-powered transport vehicle. The organization was founded on the principle of providing innovative and traditional transportation services that are dependable, safe, ecologically responsible, and user pleasant.
The project officially began in 2017 when the MTD successfully applied to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) for the Low- or No-Emissions program. The result was the allocation of a $1.45 million grant.
Additionally, the transportation agency obtained additional federal and state funds, which funded 94 percent of the project’s clean, zero-emission, and sustainable initiative expenses. MTD collaborated on most of the project’s planning and coordination with the Center for Transportation and the Environment (CTE).
To verify that the technology was truly zero-emission, MTD partnered with the private sector to construct a solar panel array that would power green H2 manufacturing. After that, the green H2 was used to fuel the buses. As a result, the only emission generated throughout vehicle operation – including the creation of the H2 that powers them – is water vapor.
