New hydrogen fuel bus begins operation in Costa Rica
April 19, 2018 0 By Angie BergensonThe Nyuti is the first operational hydrogen-powered bus in Central America
Central America’s first hydrogen-powered bus has begun operation in Costa Rica. The new bus is called Nyuti and is being operated by the Ad Astra Company, which also has operations in the United States. The company itself does not develop hydrogen fuel cell technology, but it has been working with several organizations in order to incorporate these energy systems. The bus represents the first step in Costa Rica’s efforts to establish a hydrogen transportation “ecosystem.” The country has been working to accomplish this goal for the past seven years.
Costa Rica is working to cut emissions in transportation
Costa Rica has become something of a paragon when it comes to renewable energy. Most of the country’s electrical power comes from renewable sources, particularly hydropower and geothermal. The issue, however, is that approximately 70% of the country’s clean power is consumed by the transportation sector, which produces a massive amount of greenhouse emissions on a yearly basis. To combat this, Costa Rica has been working to revolutionize the public transit space, incorporating new technology that will allow vehicles to operate without producing harmful emissions.
Hydorgen fuel used to power the bus is produced using solar energy
The new hydrogen-powered bus has been doing test runs between an Ad Astra facility and a nearby airport. The company has been working to ensure that the fuel cell technology used to power the bus is both reliable and efficient. The hydrogen fuel the bus needs to operate is being produced through the use of solar energy.
Hydrogen transportation still faces significant challenges
Hydrogen fuel may represent a long-term solution to the country’s current transportation problems. Fuel cell technology in notoriously expensive, which can make it difficult to bring into transportation projects. Ad Astra has been working to promote hydrogen fuel since 2011 and has encountered many challenges since then. The company was forced to temporarily end its hydrogen project until it was able to find a new government partner in 2016. Since then, Ad Astra has formed several partnerships with international companies that are interested in hydrogen fuel.
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