Hydrogen Fuel Production, Dispensing Facility Opens at Yeager Airport
August 27, 2009 // Published as a news service by IHS
The facility uses coal-generated grid electricity to split water to produce hydrogen fuel.
About 300 gallons of water is used to produce up to 12 kilograms of hydrogen per day, enough to refuel three vehicles, according to the U.S. Department of Energy's National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL).
The fuel will be used by airport operations, the 130th Air Wing of the West Virginia Air National Guard and the Charleston community.
The fleet of vehicles at the dispensing station includes:
- A full-size Chevrolet Silverado pick-up truck converted for hydrogen use.
- A mid-size pick-up truck that can run on hydrogen, gasoline, or a blend.
- A full-size sport utility vehicle.
- A hydrogen-fueled fuel cell fork truck.
- A tug for moving aircraft.
- A Gem electric vehicle with an integral hydrogen-fueled fuel cell for battery recharging and range extension.
The facility will serve as a research, development, test and evaluation platform to allow hydrogen technology to be "swapped in" and tested, said NETL.
The new hydrogen-dispensing facility is the first of three that are planned along I-79 from Charleston, W.Va. to Pittsburgh, Pa. to demonstrate the viability of hydrogen as an alternative transportation fuel. Additional facilities will be constructed at West Virginia University in Morgantown, W.Va. and Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.
Source: National Energy Technology Laboratory.