Canada-based Ballard Power Systems has entered into multi-year definitive agreements to support Azure Hydrogen's zero emission fuel cell bus program for the Chinese market.
Azure will partner with Chinese bus manufacturers to deploy zero emission fuel cell buses as part of a phased development program in China.
In the first phase, Ballard will offer a license, associated equipment and engineering services to help Azure assemble FCvelocity-HD7 bus power modules in China.
FCvelocity-HD7 is a next-generation fuel cell power module of Ballard, which will be designed specifically for integration into bus applications.
Once this assembly capability is established, Azure will assemble modules with fuel cell stacks to be supplied exclusively by Ballard. Ballard will receive $11m over the initial 12-months of the first phase as a part of this agreement.
Besides, Azure plans to secure funding from Chinese private investors and Governments to enable the development of fuel cell bus fleets in China for initial public transit service by 2015.
Azure Hydrogen CEO Ronald Lee said: "We see significant market opportunity for the deployment of clean energy fuel cell bus fleets in China, where they will have a direct positive impact on the severe air quality problem in our major cities."
Ballard Power Systems provides clean energy fuel cell products enabling optimized power systems for a range of applications.
