Prepared for The 8th International HydrailConference – June 11/12, 2013

Toronto, Canada

Robert (Bob) Stasko.Principal and CEOScience Concepts Internationalwww.scienceconcepts.ca

The Challenge: “When you try to push the envelope – it wants to remain stationary”

Pulling yourself up by your bootstrapsAn ‘alternate’ approach to wireless electrification of rail

Classic Electric Trolley in Oregon pulls its own diesel generator for tourists >>>

The irony may be lost on many who do not know the history of neglect of electrified urban transit systems in North America

This is changing because infrastructure spending in the US and Canada now supports Public Transit Upgrades in medium and large urban centres

This is what a modern wireless trolley should look like

No ICE engine - but powered by stored electricity, fast charging at stations and range extended via hydrogen derived from low emission generation sources

What were society’s past R&Dpriorities in the energy arena?

Coal Utilization: Efficiency improvements, SO2 and NOx capture, mercury capture, Ash disposal

Nuclear Power: Materials issue (neutron flux and temperature aging) fuel utilization, advanced fuel cycles and spent fuel issues, emission control of fission and activation products. Waste management, Safety and Environment.

Hydrology research: water sheds - concrete for hydro structures High Voltage Transmission: AC vs DC End Use Technologies: (water heaters, AC, EE appliances and

lighting, codes and standards) Distribution Utilization, materials issues around Poles,

Transformers, Wires, Reliability and Protection.

R&D Sector Priorities Going forward? Continuing work on cost and efficiency improvements for Solar, Wind

and Biomass power generation Smart Grid products: devices, integration of renewables, telemetry, CCIT

development and deployment. Energy Storage Solutions: a host of technologies to harvest off-peak,

surplus base-load or intermittent renewable electricity for re-dispatch when needed

Hydrogen, methanol and various bio-fuels that use opportunistic feed stocks or low emission electricity for production (not fossil fuels)

Emerging micro DG (fuel cells, sterling engines, small solar and wind). In-home Smart Appliances and DSM retail products

Technology to support electrification of transportation

Sector Comparison Chart

• Many jurisdictions are developing plans for electrification of major commuter rail corridors within the next 20 years

• The major cost in electrifying existing rail corridors is the addition of conventional overhead ‘wires’ and supporting infrastructure

• Several commercial energy storage technologies exist that can allow for wireless electrification of much of these corridors – and at a lower capital cost than that from traditional methods.

• Hydrogen, fuel cells, advanced batteries and ‘ultracaps’ are key parts of a design solution; with added benefits of flexibility, low emissions, improved air quality and better urban esthetics

• Some jurisdictions have an ongoing surplus of base load electricity from renewable sources and/or from nuclear generators

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The Economic Case to Avoid the Cost of Overhead Wires

The present assumption for design of urban rail transit is that power will be supplied via overhead wires with an extensive network of supporting and electrical supply infrastructure.

Various studies cost overhead infrastructure at about 7M$ per Km or 11M$ per mile to install in urban settings. This does not include the cost of high voltage transmission lines, transformer substations, safety & protection equipment or the NPV of future maintenance costs.

Overhead wires are problematic in northern climates, have esthetic issues and conflict with other overhead elements such as trees, utilities and bridges.

On-board fuel storage via advanced batteries and hydrogen (derived from off-peak electricity) will cost significantly less than traditional wires and will provide the added benefits of low or zero emissions, operational flexibility, regenerative braking to recover energy and a much lower GHG footprint.

Why can Hydrogen Fuel be considered as ‘Wireless’ Electricity?H2 from Electrolysis of Water:Pro: Distribution system in place, can be made with low

emission electricity, water plentiful, can be part of a distributed ‘demand response’ business model

Con: Capital intensive, and production cost depends on local electricity rates

H2 from Methane Steam Reforming:Pro: Could be cheaper than incumbent transportation fuels

(per mile) and could be reformed locally at existing gas stations

Con: Produces 8 Kg of CO2 for each Kg of hydrogen (plus other emissions) and production depends on natural gas price. Is likely not much better than other alternate fuels such as biodiesel or methanol

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Cost of continuous electrolytic hydrogen One Kg of H2 has the approx. fuel value of 1 gallon of gasoline

The cost of production is likely dominated by the capital cost recovery for the electrolytic unit

For a facility that generates approx. 100Kg/day, costs $1.5M installed and lasts about 15 years the resulting cost would be $2.5/Kg

Operation adds ~ 0.2 $/kg H2

Electricity costs vary very widely by locale and by time of day ( price could be night-time negative, or high peak daily price )

Example - Recent Ontario Commodity Price – 1 to 3 cents/kWh Add in transmission and distribution and GA – average of 10 cents/kWh

Depending on time of use, and whether special rates can be negotiated the business case addition to production costs would be in range of $0.5 to $3/Kg

Very do-able by continuous electrolysis assuming best use of off-peak or interruptible rates for power supply – costs would be in range of $3 to $5.5 per Kg of H2 all in.

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Ontario Long-Term Energy Plan(Projection for 2030)

The relative content of renewable energy is the focus of a concerted government effort over the next two decades....

Ontario: Greening of the Grid(low emission generation)

Current Ontario Supply Mix (Energy Output, 2011)

Nuclear, 55.0%

Gas, 13.6%

Coal, 8.4%

Hydro, 20.4%

Wind, 1.9%Other 

(woodwaste, biogas, etc), 

0.9%

Nuclear, 46%

Gas, 7%

Hydro, 20%

Wind, 10%

Solar, 1.50% Conservation 14%

Bio energy, 1.30%

Source: Ontario Ministry of Energy

Pro’s and Con’s of Wind Power

30% capacity factor 70% production factor Intermitant generation High capital cost Zero fuelling cost Needs significant wind velocity Renewable and non-emitting Typically in constrained areas or remote

locations (away from grid) Has become the darling of many investors

due to predictable capital, productionand maintenance costs!

The Intermittent Nature of Wind Power

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600

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1,200

1,400

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Ontario Wind Energy Output ‐ January, 2011 (MWh)

Status of Hydrogen Technology asit applies to rail applications

There are several prototype hydrogen and rail projects completed or underway in the US, Japan, EC and Canada. However none would seem to have a clear path to commercialization

Nonetheless, much of the technology that has been successfully developed for hybrid/hydrogen bus applications (eg: BC Transit for 2010 Olympics, the ProTerra Bus in the US) can be scaled up by a factor of 2 or 3 for light rail transit systems.

Major takeaway: virtually all of the required technologies for hydrail applications are available individually ‘off the shelf’ from various vendors. However, an OEM is needed to engineer the appropriate electromotive platform(s) and to integrate the various systems into a commercial product with a global market.

ProTerra Hybrid H2/Battery Bus Hybrid Electric Drive

uses NaS or NiCdbatteries & Hydrogenics Fuel Cells.

Over 100 Alpha units have been built or are on order

The CEO stated that a wireless electric trolley only needs to increase capacity of already proven bus unit by factor of two (2 identical modules)

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BC Transit – Whistler to Vancouver 20 bus fleet

launched in 2010

2 Ballard FCvelocityTM-HD6 fuel cell modules

1 million miles of service as of last year

Hydrogen supplied by Hydro Quebec

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BNSF H2 Switch Engine

This hybrid designed by Vehicle Projects Inc. and BNSF Locomotive Co.

Uses conventional lead acid batteries and 2 Ballard 120KW fuel cells

Recently upgraded to 500Kw of power

In operation for 4 yrs. In Sante Fe rail yard

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Hydrogen & Fuel Cell LocomotiveChinese Working Prototype

Operational Battery-Hydrogen Hybrid Drive – Unveiled in Jan 2013 Full scale prototype

designed and built by Dr Liu and Dr Chen at Southwest Jiaotong University

Uses Li-Ion batteries and two Ballard 35KW fuel cells

Top speed of 40km/hr

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Bombardier PRIMOVE System – German Pilot

In September 2010, Bombardier Transportation installed the contactless and catenary-free PRIMOVE system for trams on a 800-metre section of Line 3 on the Augsburg trade fair centre. The pilot project is co-funded by the German Federal Ministry for Transport, Building and Urban Development (BMVBS) and realised in cooperation with the Augsburg Transport Authority (Stadtwerke Augsburg VerkehrsGmbH) with the aim of demonstrating reliable operation under the real conditions of daily operation in an urban environment.

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STORAGE – dealing with the intermittent nature of renewable supply and surplus base load – plusGrid Support www.scienceconcepts.ca

HYDROGEN - developing Hydrogen production andutilization as part of the suite of storage technologies

SMART GRIDS – enabling bidirectional energy flow;optimize distributed and/or congested generationwith central generation.

PEVS and PHEVS – electrification of transportation systems infrastructure

WIRELESS ELECTRIC RAILdeveloping the next generationof battery-heavy hydrogen hybridcommuter rail systems withoutoverhead wires

SCI – Energy Priorities for 201320