Apr 1 2008
By way of cars, trucks, vans, buses, scooters, forklifts and even submarines, Air Products, the global leader in hydrogen fueling infrastructure and technology, surpassed a milestone when it completed its 50,000th hydrogen fill. Fueling hydrogen powered transportation vehicles and other varied applications in 14 countries, this trend-setting technology involving Air Products know-how, equipment, and hydrogen continues to be increasingly used at a pace of approximately 2,000 hydrogen fills per month.
"The technology and varied applications for the use of hydrogen continue to develop and grow," said Tom Mutchler, general manager - Worldwide Equipment for Air Products. "It has been exciting to be part of this forward-moving market. Part of the reward has been seeing the commitment of major automobile manufacturers. At the same time, we have participated in diverse hydrogen energy projects with start-up companies, universities, and public sector agencies. We are currently working with several entities to advance generation of renewable hydrogen. For those who care to look into the facts, hydrogen will benefit the environment for use in numerous applications and we are particularly excited about off road vehicle activity. The economics of hydrogen are also becoming very compelling."
Air Products, the leading supplier of merchant hydrogen to the refinery industry to assist in the making of cleaner burning transportation fuels, has placed a majority of its hydrogen fueling station technology in 17 states within the United States. On a global basis, Air Products' has installed hydrogen fueling technology in Canada, China, France, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom. In all, over 80 hydrogen fueling stations worldwide have been placed into service by Air Products.
Air Products has provided both liquid and gaseous hydrogen fueling at varied pressures including 700 bar (10,000 psi) at numerous locations. At most fueling stations, the hydrogen is delivered to the site via truck. At some stations the hydrogen has been generated by on-site natural gas reformation, as well as through electrolysis, wind and solar means. Air Products hydrogen fueling technology, both its permanent hydrogen fueling stations and its mobile hydrogen fueler, have been involved with multiple noteworthy projects. A limited sampling of these projects include:
- March 17, 2008 -- Air Products announced 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.
- February 21, 2008 -- Air Products signs it first fully commercial forklift opportunity with a worldwide manufacturer for supplying hydrogen fuel for material handling equipment in one of their U.S. facilities. The agreement includes the supply of hydrogen fuel for more than 100 vehicles using multiple indoor dispensers.
- September 12, 2007 -- Air Products' mobile hydrogen fueler technology was part of an historic event on the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah when it provided Ford Motor Company the hydrogen to power the Ford Fusion Hydrogen 999 as it raced to a record 207.297 miles per hour (MPH) to make it the world's first and fastest production-based fuel cell vehicle race car.
- August 29, 2007 -- Air Products signed an agreement with the Defense Logistics Agency's Research and Development Program to develop an indoor hydrogen fueling station technology infrastructure to fuel 40 hydrogen fuel cell-powered forklifts for daily warehouse operations at the Defense Distribution Depot Susquehanna Pennsylvania. The station is to be on stream in August 2008.
- July 12, 2007 -- Air Products, along with Hellas Air Pro Ltd., supplied a new state of the art submarine of the Hellenic Navy with hydrogen. The first fueling of this kind in Greece took place in Skaramanga, near Athens. The HDW Class 214 submarine has a fuel cell-generated power supply, allowing it to operate entirely on hydrogen.
- February 27, 2007 -- Featuring advancements in hydrogen fueling technology, Air Products, the University of California, Irvine, with the support of the United States Department of Energy, unveiled a new 700 and 350 bar (10,000/5,000 psi) pressure capable vehicle fueling station on the UCI campus. The 700 bar fueling station is a first in the United States at a location with wider accessibility for vehicle fueling demonstrations. One way for hydrogen vehicles to achieve a greater range between refueling is through vehicle on-board storage at higher pressures.
- November 8, 2006 -- Air Products' hydrogen fueling technology began filling mass transit fuel cell buses at a station in Beijing, China in preparation for fueling buses to shuttle athletes and visitors during the 2008 Olympics. The hydrogen fueling technology at this station was the first demonstration project for new energy vehicles in China.
Beyond transportation applications, Air Products has been involved in other interesting projects involving hydrogen as an energy carrier. Air Products has provided hydrogen for efforts ranging from the world's first fuel cell powered lighthouse at Wilton on Teeside, United Kingdom, to festive lights on holiday trees in Washington, DC and Sacramento, Calif., to hydrogen fuel cell powered cellular phone towers in several European Union countries.