Jun 26, 2008 11:10 am US/Pacific
State's 1st Hydrogen Fuel Station Opens In West LA
LOS ANGELES
The first public hydrogen refueling station in California with integrated hydrogen and gasoline refueling opened Thursday in West Los Angeles.
Los Angeles City Councilmember Bill Rosendahl and Graeme Sweeney, Executive Vice President for Shell Future Fuels and CO2, were among those who participated in Thursday's dedication ceremony of Chevrolet's Project Driveway.
The station is part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Hydrogen Vehicle and Infrastructure Demonstration and Validation Project.
"The hydrogen infrastructure for automobiles is economically viable and do-able," said Larry Burns, Ph.D., General Motors Vice President, Research & Development and Strategic Planning.
"It requires a collective will by automakers, energy suppliers, and governments who have the courage to shape our destiny and take infrastructure to the next level," he continued. "We applaud Shell for their forward-thinking efforts to help advance the hydrogen infrastructure."
The Santa Monica Boulevard Shell station is also California's first hydrogen refueling station that is integrated with an existing conventional gasoline station.
"California is leading the way with clean fuels," Sweeney said. "FCVs powered by hydrogen, like the Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell vehicles on roads throughout Southern California now, will provide a sustainable transportation choice for the future," he added.
Hydrogen produced at the Shell station will be done on-site by the electrolysis of water using 'green electricity' purchased from the Los Angeles City Department of Water and Power.
The power will then be compressed and stored to provide daily fueling.
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