DeKalb and Sycamore were treated to multiple showings of the Generation II fuel cell transit bus, developed by Georgetown University and NuCellSys. The 40-foot-long, 36,000 pound transit bus is powered by a methanol fuel cell battery hybrid system.

Unlike diesel buses, the emissions from fuel cells are water and carbon dioxide - making the vehicle more environmentally friendly than those that run on diesel. The clean-burning system also means the emissions don't smell like ordinary exhaust.

Don't hold your breath waiting for the Huskie Bus Line to replace its fleet with fuel cell buses however. Fuel cell systems aren't expected to be in wide production until 2015.

"The energy crises is a huge crises, as is the environment," said Dr. Anima Bose, associate director of fuel cell research at NIU.

Fuel cells seem to be a marriage of those two concerns, Bose said.

Bose also said methanol can currently be obtained from many sources, such as coal, natural gas and even landfills.

"We have energy in many resources," Bose said. "We don't have to depend on gas and foreign oil. We can grow energy in our backyard."

The bus runs on an electrically-charged tank of methanol in the rear, combined with ordinary air pulled from outside. The range is 350 miles per tank of methanol, which is roughly equivalent to a diesel bus.

"From a driver's perspective, there's nothing different," said Donald Mase, technical director of the Fuel Cell Bus Program at Georgetown University. "It's a bit more smooth because there are no gears."

Georgetown already has begun work on a Generation III bus, expected to be completed in 2008. The Generation III fuel cell system will weigh 1000 pounds, compared to 4000 pounds with the Generation II system. The new system also will maintain the same efficiency, feature better durability and be more cost effective.

The fuel cell bus will be shown again this Tuesday at noon in the MLK Commons.