UD unveils second alternative fuel bus

Hydrogen fuel cell bus hits the road at UD’s campus in Newark.

Research into alternative energy transportation is moving forward at the University of Delaware.  School officials showed off the latest addition to UD’s transportation fleet in Wilmington Monday.  It’s the school’s second zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell-powered bus that’s now in use transporting students around the Newark campus.

Director of UD’s Center for Fuel Cell Research Ajay Prasad says there are plans for two more hydrogen busses by 2011 and more re-fueling stations in the near future, one in Wilmington and one in Dover.   “At this point, they’re only running on campus, but we are working hard with DART and Delaware Transit Corporation to extend operations into the city of Wilmington, Dover, and other places.”

The new hydrogen bus is just a small part of the alternative energy research effort at the University… Delaware is also home to one of the department of energy’s “Energy Frontier Research Centers” with funding from the federal stimulus program.  UD’s Vice Provost Mark Barteau says with the new bus, the research effort is moving out of the laboratory and into public demonstration.  “This is very much out their on our streets where our students can use it, the public can see it.”