December 29, 2009
(view original article)

Kia remains committed to fuel cells, shows more of Borrego FCEV

Kia and their partners at Hyundai are still moving full speed ahead on developing fuel cell technology for their vehicles. For its part, Kia has released new footage of their latest fuel cell prototype, the Borrego/Mohave FCEV. (The Borrego is badged as Mohave in the Korean market). The video explains some details of this latest-generation hydrogen test vehicle that we weren't aware of before.

While the base Borrego is a rear/all-wheel drive body-on-frame SUV, the FCEV drives the front wheels through a 110 kW AC electric motor. The fuel cell stack is located under the passenger compartment and puts out 115 kW. Interestingly, Kia claims its stack is designed to work with air at ambient pressure, eliminating one of the issues of other fuel cells – the need for a compressor. Kia also claims its fuel cell can utilize 98 percent of all the hydrogen to produce power.

Electrical energy from regenerative braking is stored in a super-capacitor module and then released for extra power boost when needed. Kia does not say what the capacity of the 700 BAR hydrogen storage system is, but the range of the vehicle is claimed to be 425 miles. Kia is still planning low volume series production in 2012 and mass production three years after that. Watch the video after the jump and check out our First Drive report of the last-gen Borrego FCEV is here.

Courtesy of AutoBlogGreen.com

December 22, 2009
(view original article)

World's First Fuel Cell Ship Docks in Copenhagen

COPENHAGEN—Pleasure yachts and tall ships line the wharves and quays of Nyhavn here in the Danish capital. Shipping in Denmark goes back to the Vikings and their long ships that made perilous sea crossings even beyond Greenland. Now what may be the future of shipping is docked around the corner from Nyhavn at Kvaesthusmolen pier, a bright orange and yellow North Sea supply ship from Norway dubbed "Viking Lady"—the first ship to employ a fuel cell in history.

As a result of flourishing world trade, shipping is now responsible for roughly three percent of global emissions of greenhouse gases, or more than one billion metric tons of carbon dioxide every year, along with smog-forming nitrogen oxides, acid-rain causing sulfur dioxides and soot. In fact, emissions of nitrogen oxides from one ship burning diesel in a year are greater than those from 22,000 cars. That's because ships burn bunker fuel or diesel to cleave through the waves but, according to Tor Svensen, CEO of Det Norske Veritas (DNV) Maritime, "it is possible for shipping to reduce emissions, even taking into account growth in world trade."

In fact, ships could reduce CO2 emissions by 500 million metric tons by 2030 while increasing profits, according to an analysis done by DNV. After all, fuel costs for a tanker ship are fully 41 percent of its total operating costs. A tax on CO2 emissions of just $15 would drive cuts of 700 million metric tons, according to Svensen. Energy savings of as much as 40 percent can be achieved through better hull design, more efficient engines and even the type of paint used on the ship. "Just by polishing the propeller occasionally, one can do a lot," says Alte Palomaki, a spokesman for ship and turbine-maker Wartsila Corporation.

But in the case of the 5,900 metric ton Viking Lady, Norwegian shipping company Eidesvik and its partners have gone further, installing a 320-kilowatt molten carbonate fuel cell that operates on liquefied natural gas (and can be reconfigured, if necessary, to run on methanol). Storage tanks for the hydrogen and carbon dioxide that gets the fuel cell started press up against the stern of the 92.2 meter-long ship (in case of explosion) as do the machines to regasify the fuel. The fuel cell operates at 650 degrees Celsius and is warm to the touch, even on a blustery, frigid day in Copenhagen's harbor.

Already, liquefied natural gas is cheaper than diesel—if you can find it. Engineer and project developer Kjell Sandaker of Eidesvik notes there are as many as 15 such fueling stations along the Norwegian coast and the bright orange Viking Lady gases up once a week as its onboard turbines also directly burn the gas to supply electricity to the engines, though they can also burn diesel if necessary. The ship's 220 cubic meter tank can hold roughly 90 metric tons of liquefied natural gas at a time.

"If the ships are ordered, we believe filling stations will also come," DNV's Svensen says. Already, at least one cruise ship that might employ the technology is under construction. "In the North Sea, when drilling for oil they find gas," Eidesvik's Sandaker says. "By going on gas, we increase fuel efficiency" and decrease emissions.

But the $EU 12 million fuel cell from MTU On Site Energy is just in the testing phase, which will continue until mid-2010, and is not responsible for driving any of the four electric engines or propellers—after nearly a decade of development work. "It's been two weeks working," Sandaker says. "It's been through its first storm in the North Sea."

The investment was made, in part, to get an understanding of fuel cell technology and how it might be applied to shipping, according to DNV's Viking Lady project head Tomas Heber Tronstad. Initial estimates are that such fuel cells would cut CO2 emissions from an individual ship by 50 percent. But the investment was also made because Norway has a tax on nitrogen oxide emissions that paid an immediate return for installing gas rather than diesel engines, says Eidesvik CEO Jan Fredrik Meling. Compared to a traditional ship, even without using the fuel cell, the Viking Lady reduces nitrogen oxide emissions by 90 percent, CO2 emissions by 20 percent and eliminates sulfur dioxide and soot emissions.

"The technology has existed for years," Meling adds. "Demand must be created." And old ships can be retrofitted with catalytic converters, like those in cars, to bring down emissions, according to Wartsila's Palomaki.

Ultimately, whether the Viking Lady remains unique in the annals of shipping will depend on the political decisions that come out of the Copenhagen climate conference and in national capitals. "It will take 20 to 30 years for this technology without government support," says DNV's Tronstad. "If they want to act on climate soon, this is a technology that is available today."

December 18, 2009
(view original article)

Trulite moving to Columbia, could mean 1,000 jobs

Trulite, which builds hydrogen fuel cell generators and hydrogen fuel canisters for commercial uses, is moving its manufacturing and administration to Columbia.

The announcement could mean up to 1,000 private, high tech jobs over the next few years, company and economic development officials said.

The company could be the first big score for Columbia’s and the state’s five-year, $41 million push to launch a “knowledge-based” economy in the Midlands.

Trulite, which builds hydrogen fuel cell generators and hydrogen fuel canisters for commercial uses, is moving its manufacturing and administration to Columbia.
The announcement could mean up to 1,000 private, high tech jobs over the next few years, company and economic development officials said.

The company could be the first big score for Columbia’s and the state’s five-year, $41 million push to launch a “knowledge-based” economy in the Midlands.

“They have good things in the works with major companies — legitimate prospects with legitimate companies” to purchase their products, said Neil McLean, president and CEO of EngenuitySC, an agency set up by USC and Columbia to encourage and guide high-tech investment.

Trulite chief executive Ron Seftick told The State the com-pany has orders for “tens of thousands” of its small generators, the prototypes of which were manufactured in California’s Silicon Valley.

He said the orders call for “hundreds of thousands” of the hydrogen fuel canisters being manufactured at the Midlands Tech Business Accelerator on Farrow Road near S.C. 277.

The orders, he said, come from “several” Fortune 100 com-panies that he would not name. “That’s why we finally had to decide on a place to manufacture them,” Seftick said. “This will be a fast buildup. This is not going to be a white elephant.”

Seftick, who is moving to Columbia, said many of the jobs would be created by subcontractors who would supply the chemicals, housing and electronics for the generators.

Last year, Trulite chose South Carolina over California, Connecticut, Ohio and North Carolina to begin manufacturing the fuel canisters.

South Carolina won out be-cause state and business officials moved quickly with a proposal when the company expressed interest after visiting a National Hy-drogen Association forum in Columbia in 2007.

In its initial move here in 2008, Trulite received $750,000 from state and local governments, and business groups, and also won $96,000 in the Greater Columbia Fuel Cell Challenge. The money was used to build 12 generators and 500 batteries, with some going to the city of Columbia, USC and Fort Jackson for demonstration projects.

To attract Trulite’s manufacturing arm, the company received a loan from the S.C. Research Authority, according the authority’s chief executive, Bill Mahoney. Neither Seftick nor Mahoney would disclose the amount of the loan. The SCRA is a self-funding economic development group started by the Legislature. “It’s very similar to other loan packages we’ve provided to the 38 firms in our portfolio,” he said.

The Trulite generators to be produced here can be used inside because they do not give off the noxious emissions of gas models. The generators can last up to eight hours on two fuel cell batteries and have four outlets to run or charge laptops, radios and cell phones. They operate silently, using water to react with dry chemicals in the fuel canister and using hydrolysis to create hydrogen, which in turn is converted into electricity by a fuel cell. The generators’ operating instructions list just three steps: Insert canister, add water, press “on.” Seftick would not disclose the price of the generator or fuel canisters. But last year, the company said the generators cost $2,495, while the batteries are $24.95 each.

Those working to attract Trulite included: SCRA; SC Launch!; EngenuitySC; city of Columbia; Midlands Technical College; USC; Richland County; Central SC Alliance; and S.C. Department of Commerce.

“They have good things in the works with major companies — legitimate prospects with legitimate companies” to purchase their products, said Neil McLean, president and CEO of EngenuitySC, an agency set up by USC and Columbia to encourage and guide high-tech investment.

Trulite chief executive Ron Seftick told The State the com-pany has orders for “tens of thousands” of its small generators, the prototypes of which were manufactured in California’s Silicon Valley.

He said the orders call for “hundreds of thousands” of the hydrogen fuel canisters being manufactured at the Midlands Tech Business Accelerator on Farrow Road near S.C. 277.

The orders, he said, come from “several” Fortune 100 com-panies that he would not name. “That’s why we finally had to decide on a place to manufacture them,” Seftick said. “This will be a fast buildup. This is not going to be a white elephant.”

Seftick, who is moving to Columbia, said many of the jobs would be created by subcontractors who would supply the chemicals, housing and electronics for the generators.

Last year, Trulite chose South Carolina over California, Connecticut, Ohio and North Carolina to begin manufacturing the fuel canisters.

South Carolina won out be-cause state and business officials moved quickly with a proposal when the company expressed interest after visiting a National Hy-drogen Association forum in Columbia in 2007.

In its initial move here in 2008, Trulite received $750,000 from state and local governments, and business groups, and also won $96,000 in the Greater Columbia Fuel Cell Challenge. The money was used to build 12 generators and 500 batteries, with some going to the city of Columbia, USC and Fort Jackson for demonstration projects.

To attract Trulite’s manufacturing arm, the company received a loan from the S.C. Research Authority, according the authority’s chief executive, Bill Mahoney. Neither Seftick nor Mahoney would disclose the amount of the loan. The SCRA is a self-funding economic development group started by the Legislature. “It’s very similar to other loan packages we’ve provided to the 38 firms in our portfolio,” he said.

The Trulite generators to be produced here can be used inside because they do not give off the noxious emissions of gas models. The generators can last up to eight hours on two fuel cell batteries and have four outlets to run or charge laptops, radios and cell phones. They operate silently, using water to react with dry chemicals in the fuel canister and using hydrolysis to create hydrogen, which in turn is converted into electricity by a fuel cell. The generators’ operating instructions list just three steps: Insert canister, add water, press “on.” Seftick would not disclose the price of the generator or fuel canisters. But last year, the company said the generators cost $2,495, while the batteries are $24.95 each.

Those working to attract Trulite included: SCRA; SC Launch!; EngenuitySC; city of Columbia; Midlands Technical College; USC; Richland County; Central SC Alliance; and S.C. Department of Commerce.

By: Jeff Wilkinson, The State

December 17, 2009
(view original article)

Students Go For The Green at Transoptions Hydrogen Fuel Cell Model Car Competition at New Providence High School

NEW PROVIDENCE, NJ – In place of the roar of engines, a much quieter and environmentally friendlier race took place. Nearly 200 students went for the green at the fourth annual Hydrogen Fuel Cell Model Car Competition. The race is part of TransOptions Environmental Education Initiative.

TransOptions is a non-profit New Jersey-based Transportation Management Association (TMA) which helps to present commuting solutions to residents of Essex, Morris, Passaic, Sussex, Union and Warren Counties. The Hydrogen Fuel Cell Model Car Competition is geared to inspire students to devise their own answers to the question of alternate forms of environmentally-friendly transportation.

"It pleases me to impress upon them the alternatives to gasoline," said Joseph Caravella, TransOption’s Environmental Programs Manager. "I have the best job in the world."

Caravella said the program started four years ago with five participating schools hosted at High Point Regional High School. The event has since traveled to Randolph, Livingston and now, New Providence. Caravella said he likes the program’s rotation to different schools because of the diversity and expansion it has brought to the competition.

Close to 20 schools with students grades 9 through 12 are participating. Among them was Bloomfield Tech, which partners with PSE&G to educate students about green energy, science and sustainable energy said teacher Todd Menadier. Menadier teaches in Bloomfield Tech’s Green Energy Academy.

James Finley, a seventh and eighth grade science teacher taught the participating students on the New Providence teams when they were in the middle school. By request, they asked for his guidance to prepare for the car competition. Finley said the students worked for two months on the "Red Rocket" car during any possible opportunity including study hall and after school. Lev Litcheveskiy, 16, of New Providence, said he was impressed by the variety of cars competing teams made and was confident his team would receive an award for their "Red Rocket" design. It was Litcheveskiy’s first year competing and he hopes to participate next year.

Litcheveskiy’s intuition was spot on: his team placed first in the innovation and documentation portfolio categories.

Charlie Giacomarra, a computer-aided design (CAD) teacher at Piscataway High School, said he likes the diversity of the program and the types of students involved. "The whole purpose of the program is involving students from a variety of elements known as STEM," said Giacomarra. He said the acronym STEM signifies students coming from the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Disciplines.

TransOptions provided the participating teams with double fuel cells and other materials. From there, it was up to the students to use the materials and design their cars.

The cars are judged by participating volunteer judges who work at Picatinny Arsenal. Judges base their evaluation criteria on various categories including: craftsmanship (overall vehicle construction, attractiveness, use of lightweight materials and conformity to design specifications), innovation (creativity in appearance, creative use of hydrogen storage device, innovation in transmission and wheel system), technical merit (reliability of transmission, hydrogen production device, proper construction), and documentation (providing of documentation showing investigation, research, construction schematics, testing, evaluation, design changes, and solutions). Teams raced against one another and, through the process of elimination, winning cars raced against other winning cars.

As in actual car races, students worked diligently on their cars in between racing, and like pit crews, worked to troubleshoot and resolve any issues. Some teams differentiated themselves by wearing matching T-Shirts or headbands. Some students wore shirts with their school colors and logos.

Students not only enthusiastically supported their own team, but fellow teams from the same school. Caravella said he was impressed by the students. "A number of the young men and women struck me. You could hear a pin drop when they were ready to race. They came ready to compete and learn more."

The students’ handling of their cars and work with the hydrogen cells was also remarkable to Caravella. "Hydrogen is difficult to handle for those with years of experience," he said. Caravella additionally praised what he described as "outside the box" ideas from the students, which were separately exhibited at the event. For example, Christian Barnard, age 17 and Zach Ramsfelder, age 14 of Morristown, designed a rocket car and brought a video demonstration on Barnard’s laptop.

"I do not want to stifle them," Caravella said. "With their adding other sources it’s similar to hybrid vehicles on the road." He said he learned a number of students from past challenges have eventually interned at Picatinny Arsenal, a fact which he said was extraordinary. "Tomorrow’s engineers are coming from Northern New Jersey," said Caravella.

For more information about TransOptions and their programs, see their website: http://www.transoptions.org/

December 14, 2009
(view original article)

Bronx Hydrogen Station Completes Cluster for Equineox Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Drivers

New York — With today’s opening of a Shell Hydrogen station in the Bronx, drivers of the Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles now have a third New York City area location to fill their pollution-free crossovers.

General Motors, Shell Hydrogen and the Department of Sanitation in New York City (DSNY) completed the long-awaited cluster of stations that will make it easier for participants in Project Driveway to travel longer distances without fear of running out of hydrogen fuel that powers the demonstration vehicles.

Shell Hydrogen and GM have worked together to open stations in White Plains and earlier this year at JFK International Airport on Long Island.

“In many ways, this cluster of stations represents what is needed on a wider scale to make hydrogen-powered vehicles viable as alternative transportation in this country,” said Charles Freese, GM executive director of Fuel Cell Activities.

Creating a fueling infrastructure is a critical step in bringing hydrogen fuel technology to fruition. Public-private partnerships between companies such as Shell and GM and public entities such as DSNY help to build that infrastructure.

“The development of hydrogen fueling stations and fuel cell vehicles will bring our nation one step closer towards a sustainable and energy independent future,” said Sanitation Commissioner John J. Doherty. “This very important project complements our Department’s initiatives and Mayor Bloomberg’s PlaNYC.”

For the next six months, DSNY officials will be driving one of the more than 100 Equinox Project Driveway FCEVs that have accumulated more than 1 million miles of real-world driving by citizens, celebrities and corporations during the last two years.

GM is working on a second-generation fuel cell system that is 220 pounds lighter and about half the size of the system used in the Equinox FCEV. Such a system could be ready for use in a vehicle in the 2015 time frame, but no production program has been announced.

December 14, 2009
(view original article)

Mercedes Benz B-Class F-Cell Car bound for U.S. in the Spring

STUTTGART, Germany — Mercedes-Benz will launch its new four-passenger B-Class F-Cell, its first series-produced electric car with a fuel cell, in the U.S. and Europe starting in the spring, it confirmed on Friday. But don't expect the market to be flooded with this alt-fuel offering. Mercedes-Benz said the first of around 200 vehicles will be split between Europe and the U.S. in the initial launch.

Although it is a modest first effort, Mercedes-Benz says the vehicle paves "the way for the mass-produced fuel cell."

When asked for such key details about the B-Class F-Cell, such as pricing, Mercedes-Benz USA spokesman Rob Moran replied in an e-mailed message: "Sorry, way too early to discuss."

The B-Class F-Cell has a range of about 400 kilometers or 248 miles, said Mercedes-Benz. That means it can travel twice as far as the Mercedes-Benz A-Class F-Cell.

"[The B-Class F-Cell] is some 40 percent smaller than the system in the A-Class F-Cell from 2004, but develops 30 percent more power while consuming 30 percent less fuel," it said in a statement. The B-Class F-Cell bundles a compact fuel cell stack, a lithium-ion battery, three 700-bar tanks for the hydrogen and lightweight 136-horsepower drive motor at the front axle.

It clearly appears to be a step up from the A-Class F-Cell, which was hampered by concerns about cold-start capability. The B-Class "boasts outstanding cold-start capability down to minus 25 degrees Celsius," said the automaker. "The system features a new humidification system consisting of hollow fibers that ensures, unlike with the first-generation fuel cell, that water no longer freezes in the stack, a characteristic that used to impair cold-start capability," Mercedes-Benz said. It noted that, even at low temperatures, the B-Class F-Cell "starts just as quickly as the very latest diesel engine."

The design of the B-Class F-Cell includes what Mercedes-Benz calls a "sandwich floor," which means key components for the electric drive with fuel cells are in the vehicle underbody. This helps to conserve space in the cabin.

Other details include a special silver exterior paint, 10-spoke light-alloy wheels and leather upholstery.

Mercedes-Benz took pains to spell out the safety characteristics in the B-Class F-Cell. "In the event of a crash, safety valves close the hydrogen supply lines to the fuel cell and decouple the tanks from the other system components," it said. "Even after a serious accident, the hydrogen poses no risk whatsoever."

Inside Line says: If you're a pioneering spirit, a Mercedes-Benz fuel-cell vehicle could be in your driveway in just a few months. — Anita Lienert, Correspondent

December 8, 2009
(view original article)

Japan working toward fuel cell reality

From NPR's Marketplace
(click here to listen to the podcast of today's story)

Home fuel cells are becoming increasingly popular in Japan. The electricity generator cuts about a ton of carbon emissions from each household per year, but costs aren't reasonable for the average consumer -- yet. Rob Schmitz reports.

Steve Chiotakis: You've probably heard about hydrogen fuel cells for the car. Well, how about for the home? For Americans, it might sound like a far-off reality. But in Japan, home fuel cells are gaining in popularity. From station KQED, Rob Schmitz reports from Tokyo.

Rob Schmitz: Ever since Shunskei Ugajin got a hydrogen fuel cell, he's been the most popular guy on his block. Neighbors come over just to gawk at it. It stands proudly behind his house in Urawa, outside Tokyo.

Ugajin shows off two steel boxes that look like refrigerators -- one at full size, the other the size of one you might see in a dorm room. Inside the small box, hydrogen is separated from his home's natural gas line. The fuel cell then operates like a battery, generating enough electricity to power the entire house. The heat given off in the process travels to the large box to heat the home and the home's water.

Inside, a display shows the carbon saved: a typical fuel cell cuts carbon dioxide emissions by a ton per year. That's around an eighth of what an average home produces.

What they won't save -- yet -- is money: Buying one will set you back about $30,000 U.S. But a government subsidy that covers half the bill has spurred several Japanese companies to start mass producing them.

At Panasonic's new fuel cell factory outside of Kyoto, special training computers instruct a row of 16 workers on how to build the cells. Analysts expect the price to drop to $5,000 a piece within five years.

Ikutoshi Matsumura, director of Japan's Fuel Cell Association, says by 2050, 1 in 4 homes in Japan will run on a fuel cell.

Ikutoshi Matsumura (voice of interpreter): Each of these fuel cells has more than a thousand parts that are manufactured by more than 200 companies. If our market expands like we foresee, that will be a significant contribution to the Japanese economy.

And that success is attracting worried observers from across the Pacific -- like Scott Samuelson, director of the California-based National Fuel Cell Research Center.

Scott Samuelson: And the United States market for residential fuel cells should be inspired by the success, but also very concerned by the success.

Samuelson says Japan is a decade ahead of the U.S. in the lucrative residential fuel cell market, but the U.S. has made strides in the industrial sector. What the U.S. needs, he says, is a strong commitment to develop the residential sector, but in this economy, he's not holding his breath.

In Tokyo, I'm Rob Schmitz for Marketplace.

December 3, 2009
(view original article)

Becoming Energy Independent, Cleaning our Environment

By Senator Lindsey Graham

Our nation stands at a crossroads as many significant issues have been ignored for decades. Among them is energy independence and passing along a cleaner environment to future generations.

As a conservative, I have always believed we can and should be better stewards of God's creation. I also know we can strengthen our economy and national security by becoming energy independent.

Last year we spent more than $440 billion on foreign oil and now find ourselves more dependent on overseas supplies than at any other time in our nation's history. Sometimes our money even goes to fund enemies bent on our destruction.

And who will ever forget last years $4 a gallon gas? America has been held hostage by foreign cartels far too long and it's now time we do something about it.

The climate change debate affords us a prime opportunity to address these issues in a way that benefits our economy, national security and environment. Even a long-time skeptic, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has called for, "a new conversation" and believes there is now, "a solid, workable, commonsense foundation" on which to craft a bill.

Energy Independence Impact on South Carolina

South Carolina, through its many investments in research and technology, has a golden opportunity to lead the pack in an emerging green energy economy. And our state - which trails in many areas - is uniquely positioned to be one of the states to benefit the most from clean energy legislation.

In the Upstate, General Electric is leading the way in alternative energy sources by manufacturing windmill turbines. Clemson University's ICAR has an opportunity to be the national model for producing the car of the future. The University of South Carolina is on the cutting-edge in hydrogen fuel cell energy. We have ongoing bio-mass and alternative fuel research making real progress in the Pee Dee region.

Most importantly, a green economy can lead to a renaissance in nuclear energy - a field in which South Carolina has the workforce and expertise to excel. To clean up our environment, we must reinvigorate nuclear energy - the largest source of carbon-free energy worldwide.

For more than three decades our nation has refused to build and operate new nuclear power plants. Several companies have already made it clear they would like to construct at least four new nuclear reactors in South Carolina (we have seven already).

Almost half of the electricity generated in our state comes from nuclear energy. Climate change legislation provides us the opportunity to include strong, pro-nuclear provisions that ensure these facilities, and more, are built and operational.

Finally, I believe climate change legislation should open additional regions to responsible offshore drilling. If our state consented to drilling off our shores beyond the horizon, South Carolina would share in the revenues. Every barrel we find here at home is one less we import from overseas. Let's turn "Drill Here Drill Now" from a slogan into reality.

Empowering Unelected Bureaucrats is not Conservative

We also need legislation to provide regulatory certainty to our state's business community. If Congress does not act, unelected bureaucrats at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will issue regulations controlling carbon emissions. In the U.S. Supreme Court's 2007 decision Massachusetts v. EPA, the Court ruled carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases should be regulated as pollutants under the Clean Air Act. 

EPA regulation of carbon is the worst possible scenario. The EPA will destroy jobs and contain no new provisions for expanded nuclear energy or offshore drilling.

Regardless of whether you view climate change as a real threat or some grand hoax, carbon will eventually be regulated - either through congressional action or by the EPA.

Carbon Pollution is a Real Concern

I am not a scientist and do not claim to have all the answers. I can only speak from my own observations, personal experiences, and travels, particularly the Arctic Circle. They lead me to one conclusion - pollution from carbon is doing harm to our environment.

In this debate, I have set aside the extremes - those who offer doom-and-gloom street corner prophecies and those who refuse to even entertain the thought that our current way of doing business is harming our environment in any way.

Both sides prefer to talk past each other. They have yet to embrace the fact that if we work together, we can balance environmental protection with the needs of business. The Boxer-Kerry legislation and Waxman-Markey, as currently written, both fall short of the mark.

There is a pathway forward - if we choose to take it -- that creates sound environmental policy, promotes job creation and frees our nation from dependency on foreign oil. An added benefit is that many of the solutions to the problem will be found right here in South Carolina.

It's time we step up and take the lead.

December 3, 2009
(view original article)

At COP15, 16 National Associations Say Major Hydrogen Programs Can Reduce Climate Change

Copenhagen, Denmark - Today, a coalition of 16 associations from around the world issued a joint statement to underscore how hydrogen technologies can help to curb global greenhouse gas emissions.  The statement, addressed to the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework on Climate Change, Yvo de Boer, points out many significant benefits to the environment and other areas including the elimination of 80% of the emissions from light duty vehicles, according to studies by Japan, the European Union and United States.

"The significant investments by national governments and private companies around the world have resulted in rapid technology advancements recently compared to just a few years ago," said Terry Kimmel, Chairman of the Partnership for Advancing the Transition to Hydrogen (PATH).  "And as recently as a couple months ago, several countries like Japan and Germany made large commitments to take advantage of these advancements by investing in hydrogen infrastructure, while the United States continues to support technology development and deployment.  Each country around the world has something to gain from using hydrogen technologies and the global community will benefit from the resulting reduction of greenhouse gases."

"In addition to hydrogen's ability to replace or more cleanly use carbon-based fuels, hydrogen technologies encourage the widespread use of renewable energy," added Jeffrey Serfass, PATH's General Manager. "Hydrogen provides so many benefits and works cooperatively with such a wide variety of alternative energy technologies, no national government can afford to leave hydrogen out of its climate change plans."

In addition to this statement, PATH is participating in today's Bridge to Hydrogen event, organized by the European Hydrogen Association.  The event is showcasing the latest hydrogen vehicles next to battery electric cars and second generation biofuel vehicles. The Parade will conclude at the Danish Parliament where executives of the main fuel cell vehicle and hydrogen infrastructure companies will present their plans for the future.

December 2, 2009
(view original article)

As many as 1,300 jobs hinge on bus company’s decision

As many as 1,300 jobs for Greenville County are on the line with a Colorado company’s decision about where to build an electric bus factory.

Proterra LLC is also considering sites in Ohio or Indiana for the $68 million plant, said an executive with the company.

“We are in the final stages of considering the complete package that South Carolina is offering us and hope to make a decision in a matter of weeks,” said Joshua Goldman, Proterra’s director of business development.

The company had planned to decide the plant’s location in November, but final negotiations have taken longer than expected, Goldman said.

He said Proterra would like to establish a research office at Clemson University’s International Center for Automotive Research if it picks Greenville for the plant.

Dale Hill, Proterra’s founder and chairman, and Jeff Granato, its president and chief executive officer, were at ICAR on Monday to hear a speech by U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu, Goldman said.

Greenville County Council has voted to give Proterra property tax breaks and other incentives, including nearly $7.5 million from county-issued bonds, in exchange for building the plant locally.

County Administrator Joe Kernell said the tax-exempt bonds were authorized as part of President Barack Obama’s economic stimulus plan and would function as a low-interest loan to the company without counting as county debt.

Goldman said Proterra plans to spend at least $68 million on the plant in the first seven years.

Companies that supply parts to the plant should create 5,000 jobs on top of the 1,300 positions at the plant itself, but not all of the supplier jobs would be located in the same state as the plant, Goldman said.

He said the five-year-old start-up company, which has about 40 employees in Golden, Colo., is scheduled to deliver 20 buses next year and expects to be selling more than 500 buses annually in several years.

Most of the orders so far are from cities buying the buses with economic stimulus money from the federal government, he said.

A prototype bus developed by Proterra is being operated in Columbia as a demonstration project.

That bus, developed with funding from the Federal Transit Administration and private equity firms, is a hybrid model powered by a battery and a hydrogen fuel cell, Goldman said.

He said Proterra is scheduled to deliver a second prototype to Burbank, Calif., this month.

December 2, 2009
(view original article)

University unveils plan to cut emissions

Click here for video coverage of the event

The University of South Carolina unveiled its "Genesis 2015 Initiative" Tuesday that it says will create a college campus with 90 percent fewer carbon-dioxide emissions from its fleet of vehicles within five years.

The plan puts USC among the nation's first campuses committed to reducing its dependence on petroleum by introducing alternative fuels to power the buses, cars, trucks, motorcycles and maintenance vehicles needed in the everyday life of the university.

The comprehensive plan is ambitious, but doable, university President Harris Pastides said in a statement.

"Today, we are making a commitment that will drive Carolina into a new era of environmental responsibility," Pastides said.

"This is another important initiative supported by our faculty, staff and students to create a campus that will be climate neutral."

The university has about 400 vehicles that are used for business, maintenance and transportation of students, the university reports.

Within five years, all vehicles on the Columbia campus will be powered by ethanol, biodiesel, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), electricity or hydrogen fuel cells.

A hydrogen hybrid bus will become part of the university's shuttle service in January.

"We have 156 vehicles that we can convert to alternative fuel right away," Derrick Huggins, associate vice president for transportation, said in a statement.

Michael Koman, the university's director of sustainability, said Genesis 2015 will reduce Carolina's carbon-dioxide emissions by more than 2,000 tons.

Moreover, switching to alternative fuels could boost the agricultural economy across the Palmetto State.

"Farmers could plant crops to meet fuel and food demands," Koman said in a statement, adding that soybeans, corn and switch grasses have the potential to generate extra income for farmers.

---

November 19, 2009
(view original article)

Sprint Prepared For Tropical Storm Ida's Impact Sprint Nextel invested $340 million in Network Enhancements in Coastal Communities

MOBILE, Ala., Nov 09, 2009 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- --Millions of Customers and First Responders Rely on Nextel Direct Connect(R) Sprint (NYSE: S) today said it is preparing for the potential impact of Tropical Storm Ida threatening to make landfall along the Gulf Coast areas of Alabama, Florida and Louisiana on Tuesday morning. As it does for every impending tropical storm or hurricane, Sprint is staging backup generators and personnel in strategic locations along the Gulf Coast to manage potential service impacts.

In 2008, Sprint invested more than $340 million in network enhancements for storm-prone states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas. This investment included adding new cell sites to the Nationwide Sprint(R) Network and Nextel(R) National Network, installing hundreds of permanent generators for critical wireless sites and network facilities as well as investment in additional portable generators.

Additionally, between 2005 and 2007, Sprint installed more than 250 hydrogen fuel cells on its networks, primarily in hurricane-prone cities along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. These fuel cells provide a much cleaner alternative to diesel-powered backup generators and are activated when service from the local electric utility is disrupted during severe weather or other natural disasters -- providing up to 15 hours of backup power.

As a standard practice, Sprint has permanent generators at all of its wireless and wireline switches, the network components where data and calls are routed to their final destination. In addition, permanent generators are installed at all of the company's network Points of Presence (POP), the facilities where traffic enters and leaves the company's global IP network, which facilitates dedicated data services for Sprint's corporate and government customers as well as other critical communications. These backup generators have automatic cutover switches to immediately neutralize any loss of commercial power.

Sprint also has a strong track record of providing critical communications and personnel to assist first responders with relief efforts. Sprint's network and business continuity personnel, and the Sprint Emergency Response Team (ERT) are staging additional Cell Sites on Wheels (COWs) and Satellite Cell on Light Trucks (SatCOLTS) for possible deployment.

COWs are mobile cell sites that can be deployed in impacted areas to restore service quickly. This equipment provides backup to the networks in the event of power outages or other damage that could result after a hurricane. Satellite Cell on Light Trucks (SatCOLTS), the design of which is proprietary to Sprint, are managed by the Sprint ERT and help facilitate communications among disaster relief and emergency response agencies.

Customers can take proactive steps before the storm hits. Sprint offers the following consumer tips to prepare for a possible landfall: -- Keep your wireless phone and backup batteries charged, but be aware that an interruption of wireline and commercial power could affect wireless calls.

-- If possible, get extra batteries and charge them.

-- In times of commercial power outages, a car adapter for your wireless phone should enable you to recharge the battery.

-- Keep phones and necessary accessories in a sealed plastic bag to avoid water damage.

-- Load family and emergency numbers into your wireless phone.

-- Wireless networks sometimes experience heavy traffic during emergency events, so remember to use Nextel Direct Connect(R) or send a text message.

For more information about Sprint Nextel hurricane preparation efforts, or to learn what you can do to prepare for a major storm, visit: www.sprint.com/hurricaneinformation.

ABOUT SPRINT NEXTEL
Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including two wireless networks serving more than 48 million customers at the end of the third quarter of 2009 and the first and only 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; industry-leading mobile data services; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone.

The company's customer-focused strategy has led to improved first call resolution and customer care satisfaction scores. For more information, visit www.sprint.com.

Sprint CONTACT: Sprint Crystal Davis, 571-288-6806 crystal.davis@sprint.com

---

November 19, 2009
(view original article)

Fuel cell industry unity needed to achieve policy goals

The successful effort to restore US Department of Energy funding for hydrogen and fuel cell programs has made the industry stronger and more united, but the fuel cell industry still must fight for its place in the energy agenda of the 21st century, says the President of the US Fuel Cell Council (USFCC).

‘Our industry will emerge from 2009 stronger, more resolute, more open, more active in the marketplace, and more willing to embrace collective action,’ says Michael Hicks, USFCC President as well as Fuel Cell Engineer at fuel cell system developer IdaTech. ‘But the fight is far from over. The real questions concern the role that fuel cells and hydrogen play as an economic force and as a partner in the energy mix for the 21st century.’

Hicks spoke at the opening of the 2009 Fuel Cell Seminar and Exposition in Palm Springs, California.

In May US Energy Secretary Steven Chu proposed to eliminate fuel cell vehicle and hydrogen fuel research funding. The proposal was largely rejected by Congress, which subsequently approved nearly $300 million for fuel cell and hydrogen development. Hicks cites strong Congressional leadership for the fuel cell turnaround, backed up by grass roots activism led by the USFCC and its allies.

Hicks also notes increased government support for fuel cell development in Europe and Asia, and significant private sector sales and fuel cell product announcements in 2009.

Given the needs of society and the needs of the fuel cell industry, says Hicks, ‘it is not enough to simply maintain support for more or less the same old programs. What we need from government is money, certainly. But we also need a sense of shared enterprise, a collective understanding of fuel cells’ commercial and – just as important – societal potential, and, ultimately, a reinvigorated partnership that will hasten the day when we achieve both.’

Hicks continues: ‘These needs are similar everywhere in the world that fuel cells hope to compete, and everywhere energy policy, global warming and the environment are debated.’

‘We are stronger acting together than we are acting separately,’ he concludes. ‘We must find the discipline to look beyond our day-to-day challenges, at the larger challenges we face as an industry. And we must continue to educate and continue to be advocates.’

The US Fuel Cell Council is an industry association dedicated to fostering the commercialization of fuel cell technologies in the United States. Its members include many of the world’s leading fuel cell developers, manufacturers, suppliers, and customers.

---

November 19, 2009
(view original article)

Proton Energy Sysytems Announces $1 million scholarship program

Global Hydrogen Leader to Fuel the Next Generation of Scientific Innovators among High School Seniors

Wallingford, CT -- November 17, 2009-- Global hydrogen energy leader Proton Energy Systems announced today it is launching a $1 million scholarship program aimed at high school seniors across the nation. The Proton Energy Scholarship will recognize and award high school seniors who demonstrate outstanding achievement, excellence and promise in the field of science or technology, and who plan to pursue higher education in this field.

The scholarship program is supported and funded by Tom Sullivan, owner of Proton Energy and founder of the national chain Lumber Liquidators.  The scholarship will award four-year undergraduate scholarship prizes with a total value of up to $100,000 each.  Honorable Mentions, Proton Energy Achievers, will be awarded $500 prizes.  Sullivan has committed $1 million to the Hydrogen Education Foundation (HEF), who is administering the scholarship program.

"Proton Energy is committed to innovation and creativity, and it is our hope that through this scholarship, we can help inspire young people with an interest in science and technology," said Sullivan.  "The cost of college can sometimes be overwhelming - especially in this economy - and we are proud to help alleviate this burden, while also encouraging new ideas among some of America's most promising high school students in a field that holds tremendous importance for the future."

Proton Energy is the world's leading supplier of onsite hydrogen generators utilizing PEM (proton exchange membrane) technology, which creates high purity hydrogen from de-mineralized water and electricity.  The company has been developing and manufacturing world-class electrolysis systems since 1996, with more than 1200 units deployed world-wide, on every continent. Proton Energy has also been involved in more than a dozen hydrogen fueling stations currently in operation around the nation, and its commitment to innovation has been recognized with contracts from the Department of Defense and the Department of Energy.

"We are thrilled that Proton chose the Hydrogen Education Foundation to administer this exciting new program," said Jeffrey Serfass, President of the HEF.  "We look forward to identifying and awarding star students who will help us address the global energy and environmental challenges ahead."

The Proton Energy Scholarship, aimed at high school seniors, will play an important complementary role to two other HEF programs, the Hydrogen Student Design Contest and the H-Prize, which respectively hold competitions for university-level students and innovators seeking excellence beyond higher education.

Proton Energy Scholarship applicants will be evaluated on academic performance, strength of application, commitment to further education in a science or technology related field, financial need and demonstrated leadership, work ethic and community involvement. Deadline for applications is February 10, 2010.  Winners will be announced on April 15, 2010.

For more information on the Proton Energy Scholarship, application guidelines, and to apply, visit www.ProtonEnergyScholarship.org.

Contact:
Mark Schiller
Proton Energy Systems
203-678-2185
mschiller@protonenergy.com

Laura Wareck
O'Neill and Associates
978-660-9587
lwareck@oneillandassoc.com

About Proton Energy Systems
Proton Energy Systems designs and manufactures proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrochemical systems to make hydrogen from water in a zero pollution process producing safe, pure, reliable onsite hydrogen to meet today's global hydrogen requirements.  Proton Energy Systems has been developing and manufacturing world-class electrolysis systems since 1996, with thousands of units deployed world-wide, on every continent.  With a reputation for building robust, reliable, and safe systems, federal, state, and commercial partners repeatedly seek the creative solutions that Proton Energy Systems has proven it is capable of delivering.  For more information, visit www.ProtonEnergy.com.

About the Hydrogen Education Foundation
HEF is the charitable, education-focused arm of the National Hydrogen Association, the largest hydrogen trade association in the world. The HEF currently administers four hallmark programs: the H2 & You outreach program, the Hydrogen Student Design contest, the H-Prize Competition and now the Proton Energy Scholarship Program.  www.HydrogenEducationFoundation.org

---

November 19, 2009
(view original article)

Researchers Make Hydrogen Fuel Progress

Study Shows Promising Chemical Hydrogen Storage System Can Be Recycled

By Michael Orcutt

In what may prove to be a long stride toward swapping hydrogen fuel cells for gas tanks in the clean-running cars of the future, researchers have found a better way to efficiently store hydrogen fuel.

The storage problem is one obstacle that has blocked hydrogen-powered cars from becoming commercially realistic. Now researchers have found a way to recycle spent fuel from one of the most promising hydrogen-storage compounds, a lightweight solid known as ammonia borane.  Ammonia borane can store large amounts of hydrogen in a compact, lightweight form — a necessity in the confined space of a vehicle.

While previous research has shown that hydrogen can be harvested from ammonia borane for use in a fuel cell, the process leaves behind spent fuel. But researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory and the University of Alabama have shown that the byproduct can be efficiently converted back into usable fuel through a series of chemical reactions.

”The stumbling block to this point has been: how do you regenerate the spent fuel? To date, this fuel recycle scheme represents the most promising result in this area,” said John Gordon, a chemist at Los Alamos National Laboratory and a lead author of the study, published in September, in the journal Angewandte Chemie.

Hydrogen has been sought as an alternative to fossil fuels because it can be used in a fuel cell to produce electrical energy without releasing harmful pollutants.  But gallon for gallon it’s not as energetic as gasoline, so it hasn’t become a viable transportation fuel.

A vehicle must carry large volumes of hydrogen, usually in the form of compressed gas. Bulky fuel tanks add extra weight and take up cargo space in addition to being a fire risk in an accident.  The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has warned that the technology must improve to facilitate a more lightweight, low-volume system — one that allows a car to drive at least 300 miles on a single fill-up.

Ammonia borane is an attractive solution to the storage problem. It is made of lightweight elements that can bond to lots of hydrogen atoms.  Since the bonded hydrogen can be removed, ammonia borane can act like a fuel tank that stores more hydrogen atoms at lower volumes than hydrogen gas.

The new technique is an “elegant solution,” said University of Ottawa chemist R. Tom Baker, but there are still too many steps for it to be practical at the industrial level.  Though not part of this study, Baker’s contribution to previous ammonia borane research laid the groundwork for the hydrogen-removal method the group employed.  “This is a big advance, and it allows them to now think about the next advance, which is to reduce the number of operations in the process to get a more direct regeneration to happen,” he said.

Still, a simple, more direct recycle process would represent just one piece of the larger hydrogen car puzzle, albeit an important one.

Ideally, the fuel could be recycled without having to be removed from the vehicle, said John Hemminger, a chemist at the University of California, Irvine, and chair of the Basic Energy Sciences Advisory Committee, which provides independent advice to the DOE.  While this finding does not solve that problem, he said, “The authors do describe interesting new chemistry that may eventually lead to an efficient regeneration process. A simple fuel regeneration process that could be carried out on-board a vehicle would be a huge step forward for hydrogen vehicles.”

---

November 6, 2009
(view original article)

Funding helps seal hydrogen partnerships

Congress recently included $174 million in next year's budget for hydrogen transportation research. This came after the Obama administration had recommended drastic cuts in favor of alternative energy technologies that might come on the market faster, like plug-in electric cars.

Shannon Baxter-Clemmons, executive director of the S.C. Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Alliance, talked about the funding of hydrogen transportation research with The State:

What does the passage by Congress of the hydrogen funding portion of the Energy and Water Bill mean for South Carolina?

"It means that the federal government is still a strong partner with industry in pursuing a family of technologies that are truly clean, safe and secure energy for the United States. The bill funds projects in other alternative energy areas too because we, as a country, have to take a broader and more long-term vision for solving our energy challenges and recognize that there is no one 'silver bullet.'"

How does hydrogen fit in with other types of alternative energy, such as solar and biomass?

"Lots of other near-term technologies are great because they reduce pollution and petroleum dependence, but they don't fully eliminate either. Renewables, such as wind and biomass, coupled with hydrogen fuel cells, are a sustainable combination.

"Excess renewable capacity can be used to produce hydrogen that can be stored until times when the wind isn't blowing or the sun isn't shining. Stored hydrogen can be used in a fuel cell to provide power and 'firm' up the renewable energy."

When, if ever, will I be able to buy a hydrogen car for a reasonable price and drive it in South Carolina?

"Every major, private sector auto manufacturer has recently reaffirmed their long-term commitment to hydrogen fuel cell vehicles as the end game for vehicle technology. Car companies are currently leasing hydrogen fuel cell vehicles for reasonable prices ($600/month including fuel) in limited worldwide locations.

"Sales are scheduled to start in 2015, and the companies say that the cars will only cost $3,600 more than what we pay now. It's entirely possible that we will be able to buy reasonably priced hydrogen vehicles and drive them in S.C. within the next 10 years."

Beyond automobiles, what other applications of fuel cells and hydrogen are most likely to be successful and create private sector jobs in South Carolina?

"Cars are the toughest industry sector to tackle, but there are plenty of other areas in our lives where we need power. Off-road transportation, portable electronics, homes and buildings are a few I can name quickly.

"Currently, hydrogen fuel cell forklifts and backup power for communications (cell) towers are the best value propositions in the market. The next application in the private sector will most likely be on-the-go cell phone chargers and other portable products."

How do you answer critics who say that a hydrogen-based economy is not feasible in South Carolina and that government shouldn't be spending money trying to create it?

"Economists can show that, overall, as our standard of living increases so do our energy needs. Energy is the dominant issue facing our generation, and who is going to control our energy supplies is a valid question. There are no two ways about it, we must have an industry-government partnership to find the right balance of consumer demand, energy security and sustainability."

---

November 3, 2009
(view original article)

Hydrogen-Powered Military Aircraft Achieves Record

The U.S. Navy has developed a hydrogen-powered aircraft that can fly for nearly an entire day without refueling.

During a test flight last week, the Ion Tiger, an unmanned air vehicle (UAV), stayed airborne for approximately 23 hours and 17 minutes, setting an unofficial endurance record for a flight powered by fuel-cell technology.

Hydrogen fuel cells produce electricity by combining hydrogen and oxygen, with only water and heat as byproducts. The electric fuel cell propulsion system onboard the aircraft features a 550-Watt (0.75 horsepower) fuel cell that researchers say is 4 times more efficient than a comparable internal combustion engine. The Ion Tiger weighs approximately 37 pounds and carries a 4- to 5-pound payload.

Small UAVs such as the Ion Tiger have the advantage of being nearly undetectable from the ground, allowing Navy officials to deploy the machines for a variety of specialized missions ranging from surveillance collection to communication links. And with the fuel cell system onboard the Ion Tiger, it is now possible to use UAVs to conduct long endurance missions that require a larger cruise range, reducing the number of daily launches and landings.

The military is also developing fuel-cell technology to improve the capabilities of ground, air and undersea vehicles and man-portable power for Marine expeditionary missions.

The Ion Tiger “successfully demonstrates ONR's vision to show how efficient, clean technology can be used to improve the warfighter's capabilities," said Michele Anderson of the Office of Naval Research.

---

November 3, 2009
(view original article)

Air Products Building World-Scale Hydrogen Plant at Monsanto in Louisiana

Supply Agreement Provides Companies Operational and Environmental Benefits

LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa. (October 22, 2009) – Air Products (NYSE: APD), the leading global hydrogen provider, today announced the signing of a long-term supply contract with Monsanto Company (NYSE: MON) to build a new world-scale hydrogen production plant to be located at Monsanto’s Luling, Louisiana Roundup® facility.  The new hydrogen plant is scheduled to be on-stream in January 2012.

Air Products will build a steam methane reformer (SMR) producing over 100 million standard cubic feet per day (MMSCFD) of hydrogen.  The SMR will be connected to Air Products’ East Gulf Coast pipeline network, which supplies refineries with hydrogen needed to make cleaner burning transportation fuels, in addition to meeting the hydrogen needs of the local petrochemical industry.  In addition, the facility will produce additional hydrogen via a clean-up of a hydrogen-rich off-gas feed coming from Monsanto.  Monsanto will use steam from Air Products’ SMR process to benefit its Roundup® production plant.

“This agreement provides a win-win for Air Products and Monsanto.  Air Products adds a world-class SMR facility, which along with our previously announced Garyville and Baton Rouge SMRs, will enhance the reliability of our leading East Gulf Coast hydrogen pipeline system.  Monsanto’s benefits include a reduction in natural gas used to make steam and an improved outlet for its off-gas stream, which will now be purified and used to make hydrogen,” said Wilbur Mok, vice president–North America Tonnage Gases for Air Products.

“This is a relationship with outstanding potential.  It will strengthen our own operations and provide important benefits to both our community and industry in the area.  It will help us serve our farmer customers in a more environmentally sustainable manner,” said Mike Frank, Monsanto’s Manufacturing Director–Crop Protection Division.

The Air Products SMR will feature technology advancements to maximize facility energy efficiency and emission reductions.  “We have enhanced our SMR design to target minimal loss of heat to the environment, which in turn reduces natural gas usage requirements to make hydrogen.  These efforts and other productivity improvements support the company’s overall goals of reducing energy consumption and emissions,” said Tom Wendahl, manager–Tonnage Gases, East Gulf Coast Area for Air Products.

Air Products’ East Gulf Coast hydrogen pipeline system currently reaches more than 175 continuous miles from Baton Rouge to Chalmette, Louisiana.  The network has 15 hydrogen production source points feeding the pipeline system, including the recently announced hydrogen plants being built in Garyville and Baton Rouge, which have anticipated on-stream dates of October 2009 and April 2010, respectively.  Additionally, in the U.S. Gulf Coast, Air Products has a second and larger hydrogen pipeline system of over 300 miles reaching from the Houston Ship Channel in Texas to Lake Charles, Louisiana.

Air Products also has hydrogen pipeline networks operating around the world in the U.S. in Southern California; in Sarnia, Ontario and Edmonton, Alberta in Canada; and in Rotterdam in The Netherlands.

Air Products’ hydrogen facility in Luling will be built through the global alliance between Air Products and Technip.  This alliance, which has built over 30 hydrogen production facilities, continues to provide the worldwide refining industry with competitive technology and world-class safety.  Technip provides the design and construction expertise for steam reformers while Air Products provides the gas separation technology.  Air Products, through its extensive operating network, and Technip, from its large reference base, also bring effective operational and engineering knowledge to “design-in” high reliability and efficiency.  The plants are operated and maintained by Air Products under long-term agreements with customers.

About Air Products
Air Products (NYSE:APD) serves customers in industrial, energy, technology and healthcare markets worldwide with a unique portfolio of atmospheric gases, process and specialty gases, performance materials, and equipment and services.  Founded in 1940, Air Products has built leading positions in key growth markets such as semiconductor materials, refinery hydrogen, home healthcare services, natural gas liquefaction, and advanced coatings and adhesives.  The company is recognized for its innovative culture, operational excellence and commitment to safety and the environment.  In fiscal 2009, Air Products had revenues of $8.3 billion, operations in over 40 countries, and 18,900 employees around the globe.  For more information, visit:
> www.airproducts.com

About Technip
Technip is a world leader in the fields of project management, engineering and construction for the oil & gas industry, offering a comprehensive portfolio of innovative solutions and technologies.

With 23,000 employees around the world, integrated capabilities and proven expertise in underwater infrastructures (Subsea), offshore facilities (Offshore) and large processing units and plants on land (Onshore), Technip is a key contributor to the development of sustainable solutions for the energy challenges of the 21st century.

Present in 46 countries, Technip has operating centers and industrial assets (manufacturing plants, spoolbases, construction yard) on five continents, and operates its own fleet of specialized vessels for pipeline installation and subsea construction.

The Technip share is listed on Euronext Paris exchange and over the counter (OTC) in the USA.  For more information, visit:
> www.technip.com

About Monsanto
Monsanto Company is a leading global provider of technology-based solutions and agricultural products that improve farm productivity and food quality. Monsanto remains focused on enabling both small-holder and large-scale farmers to produce more from their land while conserving more of our world's natural resources such as water and energy. To learn more about our business and our commitments, please visit: www.monsanto.com

Back to Top

---

For Email Marketing you can trust