Fuel Cell Works Supplemental News Page

**Nothing runs like a CWV-EERC, John Deere pursue hydrogen-run work vehicle that could help military**
Publication date: 29-April-2004 Source:Grand Forks Herald
A UND research center is teaming with private industry to supply the military with clean-running, hydrogen-powered work vehicles. Energy and Environmental Research Center officials and representatives of John Deere on Friday plan to unveil a "zero emissions" prototype of the heavy-duty four-wheel-electric-drive vehicle that both are jointly developing. The fuel cell-powered commercial work vehicle, as it's known, or CWV for short, will be on display at 9 a.m. Friday on the EERC's east patio. EERC director Gerald Groenewold said the vehicle could have applications in the military in combat, or in peacetime, moving fighter jets on aircraft carriers. The vehicles also have power inverters to divert electricity to military equipment such as Global Positioning System tools and communication devices. And it's loaded with features that would be helpful to U.S. Air Force flight line supervisors, such as a 1-ton load capacity, Groenewold said. "The Grand Forks Air Force Base may be an ideal location for demonstration of this technology in the future," he said. Test drive In fact, Col. Mark Ramsay, commander of the 319th Air Refueling Wing at the base, will be one of the guests on hand Friday to watch the public unveiling of the prototype. He'll also take a test drive of the CWV, joined by Groenewold, Bruce Wood, Deere & Company's ePower Technologies director, and Tom Erickson, EERC associate director for research. Deere & Company and the EERC have been working together for about two months, discussing ways they might couple Deere's CWV technology with EERC's on-demand hydrogen fuel cell expertise. Erickson said that one of the main priorities for developers is to design a vehicle that is strong enough to taxi larger military aircraft around. He said the technology is there to do it. He said traditional versions of John Deere vehicles have had success in military applications, and he anticipates the same with the new CWV. Unlike most vehicles, which are powered by internal combustion engines, the CWV has no engine and is powered by electricity from hydrogen fuel cells. Other uses, actually on the battlefield, are being explored, Erickson said. "In a combat situation, it's a little bit up in the air what could be done," Erickson said. "But it should have a lower heat signature, and it would be more stealthy and more quiet than a typical combustion engine." ~

A
UND research center is teaming with private industry to supply the military
with clean-running, hydrogen-powered work vehicles.Energy and Environmental Research Center
officials and representatives of John Deere on Friday plan to unveil a
"zero emissions" prototype of the heavy-duty four-wheel-electric-drive
vehicle that both are jointly developing. The fuel cell-powered commercial
work vehicle, as it's known, or CWV for short, will be on display at 9
a.m. Friday on the EERC's east patio.
EERC director Gerald Groenewold said the
vehicle could have applications in the military in combat, or in peacetime,
moving fighter jets on aircraft carriers.
The vehicles also have power inverters
to divert electricity to military equipment such as Global Positioning
System tools and communication devices.
And it's loaded with features that would
be helpful to U.S. Air Force flight line supervisors, such as a 1-ton load
capacity, Groenewold said.
"The Grand Forks Air Force Base may be
an ideal location for demonstration of this technology in the future,"
he said.
Test drive
In fact, Col. Mark Ramsay, commander of
the 319th Air Refueling Wing at the base, will be one of the guests on
hand Friday to watch the public unveiling of the prototype. He'll also
take a test drive of the CWV, joined by Groenewold, Bruce Wood, Deere &
Company's ePower Technologies director, and Tom Erickson, EERC associate
director for research.
Deere & Company and the EERC have been
working together for about two months, discussing ways they might couple
Deere's CWV technology with EERC's on-demand hydrogen fuel cell expertise.
Erickson said that one of the main priorities
for developers is to design a vehicle that is strong enough to taxi larger
military aircraft around. He said the technology is there to do it.
He said traditional versions of John Deere
vehicles have had success in military applications, and he anticipates
the same with the new CWV. Unlike most vehicles, which are powered by internal
combustion engines, the CWV has no engine and is powered by electricity
from hydrogen fuel cells. Other uses, actually on the battlefield, are
being explored, Erickson said.
"In a combat situation, it's a little bit
up in the air what could be done," Erickson said. "But it should have a
lower heat signature, and it would be more stealthy and more quiet than
a typical combustion engine."

 