UT at Austin, Gas Technology Institute Put First Hydrogen Fuel Cell Bus on the

[gatorback]

I can't wait to check this thingy out:

http://www.utexas.edu/news/2007/11/05/electromechanics/

[Ocklawaha]

This has got to be the future of transportation as we know it. The fuel cell buses are available off the shelf from several builders. It's just a matter of spec's and orders until this comes up within a DMU on light rail. (anyone at JTA listening?) This is the first hybrid transit bus, with fuel cell technology that I know of and it is a very interesting twist. Regular fuel cells don't have the range restrictions and convert the Hydrogen onboard, but this looks like a fill-er-up-and-go deal. The electric should keep the fuel usage low but I wonder if it runs with just the hydrogen function??

If we went with Fuel Cell bus or DMU, I would be a fan of the performance type specs, rather then the detailed spec's of our recent past. Under performance specs, rather then saying we need such and such AC unit, that cools to XX, with XX fans and XX components. We simply say, we need a bus that cools to 72 when outside temps reach 100. That way the product supplier can draw up the spec's and be required to meet the goal without us getting in the way. If it fails we can go back and say, "You said this would work..." Doing it the other way with such new ideas, and the builder would come back to us and say, "well it would have worked but you ordered a "XX" type component..." So by performance based orders, we can hold their feet to the fire, and STILL pioneer something new for a change.

Gatorback? Are you back in Austin? Never heard from you if you came here... ?

Ocklawaha

[gatorback]

Ock:  This is where it gets crazy Ock.  I was in jax helping friends move, spending time with friends and family, the funeral and BAM -- game over.  Out of time.  I'm back in Austin. I will be to jax again soon to pick up some art and stuff.

So I live right next the  J.J. Pickle Research Center in Austin.  Don't know who J.J. is, but I really dig that he's taking one more step and installing a hydrogen gas station(is that incorrect.  Gas is the past?)   They should paint the busses Jim Morrison psychedelic wack--then people would really know this is Out There!