Mar 17 2008
Air Products today announced it has signed an agreement with Transport for London to help bring hydrogen technology to the roads of London. This agreement includes the supply of hydrogen fuel and a dedicated fueling station for the 10 hydrogen powered buses, which form a central part of London's hydrogen transport program. The hydrogen powered buses will be operating on London's roads by 2010.
Air Products will provide Transport for London and the bus operator with access to the latest technology in hydrogen production, transportation, storage, compression and vehicle dispensing technology.
At an event to celebrate the signing of the agreement held at London City Hall, Richard Boocock, vice president, Tonnage Gases Europe & Middle East, said, "We are very proud to become part of the team delivering one of the most significant investments in hydrogen technology and transportation in Europe. Air Products is the world's leading provider of hydrogen fuel and dispensing infrastructure, having already installed over 75 fueling stations and been involved in over 45,000 vehicle fuelings across the world. We are delighted to be able to bring this experience and expertise to London and the hydrogen transport program. We are confident that this project will allow London to lead the pack of environmental world cities as we move towards a greener future and make London a cleaner, healthier place to live, travel and work."
Mike Weston, operations director for London Buses at Transport for London, said, "We believe hydrogen has an important role to play in helping reduce the impact of public transport on the environment. These buses produce substantially fewer emissions of carbon dioxide and other pollutants than diesel buses -- in the case of fuel cell buses, they produce no pollution at all at the point of use, thus helping to clean up the Capital's air."
Air Products is the world's largest supplier of merchant hydrogen, including distributing and handling hydrogen at Air Products' own facilities, on the road, transported via pipeline, and at customer facilities. The company safely operates over 60 gaseous and liquid hydrogen production plants and seven hydrogen pipeline systems totaling over 300 miles. Air Products provides all modes of hydrogen supply -- gaseous, liquid and onsite generation, as well as providing engineering expertise in hydrogen application integration.
Air Products has placed over 75 fueling stations on-stream in 12 countries, including for mass transit fueling in Beijing, China for buses to be used to shuttle athletes and visitors for the 2008 Olympic Games. In Europe, Air Products supplies hydrogen fueling equipment to various automotive companies as well as the Hellenic and German navies to regularly fuel their submarines.
Over 45,000 vehicle fuelings have already taken place using Air Products' technology. As the world's largest supplier of merchant hydrogen, Air Products is a leader in the development of the hydrogen infrastructure necessary to fuel hydrogen fuel cell and hydrogen internal combustion engine automobiles, HCNG (hydrogen/compressed natural gas) vehicles, and hydrogen powered forklifts, lift trucks and automated guided vehicles in the developing materials handling market. Air Products has an extensive patent portfolio with over 50 patents in hydrogen dispensing technology.