BOARD MEETING DATE: May 19, 2000 AGENDA NO. 8
Execute Contract to Cosponsor Fuel Cell Vehicle Center at University of California, Davis
SYNOPSIS:
The U.S. Department of Energy has designated the University of California, Davis Fuel Cell Vehicle Center, as one of its two university fuel cell vehicle centers. Located at the Institute of Transportation Studies, one of the goals of the Center is to develop a Fuel Cell Vehicle Modeling Program. This program, will assist the development of fuel cells for application in the mobile sector. Since its inception in January 1998, the program has attracted over a dozen corporate sponsorships including several major automobile manufacturers and two government agencies. The AQMD participation is for a period of three years in an amount not to exceed $40,000 for the next 2 years. Total cost-sharing for this period from industry and government partners is $660,000.
COMMITTEE:
Technology, March 24, 2000. Less than a quorum was present during the discussion of this item; the Chair and Vice Chair communicated their concurrence and recommendation that this item be forwarded for Board consideration with no approval or disapproval recommendation from the Committee.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Authorize the Chairman to execute a contract with the Regents of the University of California in an amount not to exceed $40,000 from the Clean Fuels Fund to cosponsor the Fuel Cell Vehicle Modeling Program at the Institute of Transportation Studies, University of California, Davis, for a period of two years.
Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer
Background
The AQMP relies on significant penetration of zero- and near-zero-emission technologies in the Basin to attain federal and state clean air standards by 2010. Fuel cells produce electricity without combustion and are emerging as a leading technology to help meet AQMP emission reduction targets. These ultra-clean electrochemical engines have the potential to work in virtually every mobile and stationary application currently powered by internal combustion engines (ICEs). Fuel cell technologies are being advanced steadily and hold strong promise to match or exceed ICEs in power density, durability, fuel efficiency, range, etc. Major efforts are still needed by government and industry to overcome the many remaining barriers before fuel cells can compete in the market with ICEs and other conventional technologies.
A key issue is assessing the performance characteristics of fuel cell power plant and its subsystems when powered by alternative fuels. These characteristics include, but are not limited to, the evaluation of the startup time, acceleration, efficiency, emissions, footprint and durability. Fuels being evaluated include direct hydrogen, methanol, gasoline and direct methanol.
For over a decade, the Institute of Transportation Studies at University of California Davis (ITS-Davis) has developed vehicle modeling programs. Its current focus is on developing models to assist in the introduction of fuel cell vehicles. Specifically, it would create and optimize a research tool to accurately and realistically simulate a fuel cell vehicle, and its overall performance and environmental impact when operated on a spectrum of fuels.
Proposal
The Fuel Cell Vehicle Modeling Program (FCVMP) will design and implement a validated fuel cell vehicle model based on a Proton Exchange Membrane fuel cell engine. The model will utilize the best available technology, policy information from special studies, and ongoing feedback from major automobile manufacturers who are cosponsoring the program. The fuel cell vehicle model attempts to accurately simulate operation of a mid-sized fuel cell vehicle over urban and highway driving cycles. The model will assess the performance characteristics of such vehicle, including range, energy efficiency, emissions and acceleration performance. In 1998, the fuel cell vehicle model was assessed using direct hydrogen fuel. In 1999, the fuel cell vehicle model was assessed using methanol reformate. The fuel cell vehicle model will continue to be updated for years 2000 and 2001. In 2000, the fuel cell vehicle model will simulate operation on gasoline hydrocarbon reformate and in 2001 the model will simulate operation on direct-liquid methanol.
AQMD will be cosponsoring two major technology transfer and outreach workshops for years 2000 and 2001:
Expected Benefits
The proposed project addresses technologies that are included in the March 2000 update of the Technology Advancement Plan under two separate categories: 2000M4-1, "Development and Demonstration of Fuel Cell Balance-of-Plant Technologies Related to Fuels, Fuel Storage and Handling, and Fuel Processing," and 2000M4-3, "Demonstration of Fuel Cell Technologies for On- and Off-Road Vehicle Applications."
AQMD’s participation in the Fuel Cell Vehicle Modeling Program will support the ongoing refinements its fuel cell vehicle Modeling, which in turn would assist major automobile manufacturers participating in the program to optimize their fuel cell technologies. Also, fuel cell vehicle performance based on various fuels can be compared. This will assist in the fuel cell vehicle technology development and its ultimate wide-scale deployment, leading to substantial reductions of criteria and toxic air pollutants. Such reductions would assist the Basin in meeting federal and state air quality standards by year 2010. In addition, deployment of fuel cells can lead to major multi-media environmental benefits such as improved water quality and reductions in the release of carbon dioxide, a global-warming gas.
Sole Source Justification
Section VIII, (B)(2) of the Procurement Policy and Procedure identifies four major provisions under which a sole-source award may be justified. This request for a sole source award is made under provision B.2.c.: The desired services are available from only the sole source. Specifically, these reasons are: B.2.c.(1) the unique experience and capabilities of the proposed contractor or contracting team; and B.2.c.(3) the contractor has ownership of key assets required for project performance.
ITS-Davis is uniquely qualified to perform these services. It has ownership of an important fuel cell vehicle model developed over a decade, and refined recently for fuel cell vehicle use. This model is capable of modeling fuel cell vehicle performance characteristics - over different driving cycles - including start-up times, emissions, energy use, efficiency, and vehicle acceleration. This model was developed in consultation with a broad group of informed stakeholders, including major petroleum and automobile manufacturers such as British Petroleum, Chevron Research & Technology, Daewoo, Exxon, Fiat Research Center, General Motors Global Alternative Propulsion Center, Honda R&D Americas, Inc., Hyundai Motor Company, Isuzu, International Fuel Cells, Nissan Research & Development, Ricardo Consulting, Subaru Research Center, Toyota Motor Company, and Volkswagen AG. CARB and DOE are also participants in the program.
Resource Impacts
AQMD’s contribution for two years of participation will not exceed $40,000. Participation in the proposed project will be leveraged with funds from 17 other sources, named above, in an amount of $660,000.
Sufficient funds are available from the Clean Fuels Fund, established as a special revenue fund resulting from the state-mandated Clean Fuels Program. The Clean Fuels Program, under Health and Safety Code Sections 40448.5 and 40512 and Vehicle Code Section 9250.11, establishes mechanisms to collect revenues from mobile sources to support projects to increase the utilization of clean fuels, including the development of the necessary advanced enabling technologies. Funds collected from motor vehicles are restricted, by statute, to be used for projects and program activities related to mobile sources that support the objectives of the Clean Fuels Program. The proposed project is within the scope of these objectives.
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