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Brazil Unveils Hydrogen Bus
Sao Paulo, Brazil (SPX) Jul 28, 2009 Brazil recently announced plans to buy, operate and maintain up to five hydrogen-cell-fueled buses, as well as the station to produce hydrogen to supply the buses. The program is the starting point for the development of a cleaner solution for urban public transportation in Brazil. It was coordinated by the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) in partnership with the Urban Transportation Metropolitan Enterprise in Sao Paulo (EMTU/SP), and was financed with resources from the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) and the Studies and Projects Funding Body (FINEP), with support of the United Nations Program for Development (UNPD). For MME Minister Edison Lob�o, the project is a further step for the government to consolidate the country's expertise in the use of renewable sources. "This project results from a huge effort of the Ministry of Mines and Energy with its partners. With the hydrogen-fueled bus we are further developing the Brazilian economy," he said. The first vehicle will serve the ABD Metropolitan Corridor (Sao Mateus / Jabaquara), located in the Greater Sao Paulo area. MME's Secretary for Petroleum, Natural Gas and Renewable Fuels, Jose Lima, said this is a pioneering project in Latin America aimed at disseminating the technology. "The Brazilian success with ethanol and biodiesel allows us to use hydrogen from renewable energy sources. From now on, our challenge will be to structure the hydrogen economy in Brazil," he said. The bus pioneers a hybrid system that combines hydrogen cells with batteries. The strategy allows for increased fuel saving and rational energy use. The batteries can be used to store the energy generated by the cell during the periods when the vehicle is idle (for passenger boarding or at traffic lights, for instance), in addition to regenerating braking energy. The hydrogen fuel cell system - which generates 68kW - is specific for automotive use, making it less expensive. The Brazilian project was selected for financing by UNPD/GEF due to the fact that the country is an emerging economy, with buses performing an important role in urban transportation. Likewise, Brazil is the world's largest market for buses, and the leading producer of this kind of vehicle, with 50,000 units per year. The development of an urban collective transportation system with zero emission of pollutants will contribute to reducing the environmental impact in large urban areas, such as Sao Paulo, which has the world's largest bus fleet. Motor vehicles are responsible for 90% of air pollutants, with most buses having diesel engines with high emissions of NO2 and particulates. Share This Article With Planet Earth
Related Links Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) Car Technology at SpaceMart.com
Audi to open new plant in China in September: reportShanghai (AFP) July 27, 2009 German auto maker Audi plans to open a new plant in China in September to meet fast-growing demand for premium cars in the Asian country, state media reported Monday. The one-billion-yuan (146.4-million-dollar) plant in the northeastern city of Changchun will double the brand's production capacity in the country to 200,000 units a year, the China Daily reported, citing a company official. ... read more |
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