Saturday, November 16, 2002
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Energy station to promote hydrogen fuel

Dedication held at Las Vegas facility

The station at 2950 Ronemus Drive will provide fuel to 15 city vehicles converted to run on a natural gas/hydrogen blend. Photo by Clint Karlsen.

Scientists long have considered hydrogen the fuel of the future. Federal and local officials believe a new energy station dedicated Friday will help make Earth's most abundant element a fuel of the present.

Billed as the first facility of its kind in the world, the Las Vegas station will produce hydrogen fuel for specially equipped city vehicles and a fuel cell that will generate enough electricity for 30 homes.

The facility's primary purpose, however, is to house a five-year hydrogen fuel demonstration project to encourage the creation of hydrogen fuel infrastructure in the region. It will allow researchers to test their technology under real-world conditions.

"This (facility) will not only answer technical and practical questions, it will also capture the spirit and advance the day of a new, cleaner energy source," said U.S. Department of Energy Assistant Secretary David Garman.

The federal agency and two publicly traded companies, Air Products and Chemicals Inc. and Plug Power Inc., paid for the $10.8 million energy station. Las Vegas contributed the land at its northwest valley Transportation Services Center.

Federal officials said the city was selected for several reasons.

The nation's only other hydrogen fuel development facilities are in California. Las Vegas' proximity to those programs will aid researchers in sharing data and encourage the creation of more hydrogen fueling sites in the region, officials said.

The city also has agreed to test hydrogen in some of its vehicles.

Twenty-two percent of the city's fleet runs on compressed natural gas. During the next 12 months, 15 vehicles will be converted, at no cost to the city, to operate on a blend of natural gas and hydrogen. In return, Las Vegas will provide researchers with data on their experiences using the combined fuel.

"We want to show the viability of this," said Dan Hyde, Las Vegas fleet and transportation services manager. "My goal is for the entire fleet to operate on it."

As part of the agreement between the city and the federal government, the city will be involved in the development of future hydrogen fueling sites in Southern Nevada. Hyde envisions it as a source of high-tech jobs.

"If it works, they're going to grow with us, and we're going to grow together," he said. "If it happens, they're going to hire Las Vegans to do it."

Garman said the federal government is working on several fronts to encourage the development of hydrogen fuel technology. Earlier this month, Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham unveiled the Bush administration's "National Hydrogen Energy Road Map," intended to reduce the country's dependence on imported oil, cut vehicle emissions and develop renewable sources of energy.

He acknowledges, however, that no one knows when consumers will see hydrogen-powered vehicles at car dealerships or hydrogen fuel at the pump. But he's confident the fuel of the future's day will come.

"It's going to happen someday," he said. "It's just a question of when."