Air Products Supporting Hydrogen Tour

LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa.—Air Products, a supplier of hydrogen for fuel-cell-powered lift trucks, is fueling the fuel-cell vehicles participating in the national Hydrogen Tour ’08.

The Hydrogen Tour ’08 was created to demonstrate that hydrogen vehicle and fueling technologies are approaching commercial availability. The nationwide tour will make 31 stops in 18 states. Participants include nine automakers, the U.S. Department of Energy, the California Fuel Cell Partnership, National Hydrogen Association and the U.S. Department of Transportation, as well as hydrogen gas providers.

To date, Air Products has fueled the vehicles of Daimler, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai-Kia, Nissan, Toyota and Volkswagen. Today, the tour will stop at Air Products’ headquarters in Allentown, Pa., to be filled by the company’s new hydrogen fueling station.

Air Products has hydrogen fueling stations in 17 states. At most stations, the hydrogen is delivered to the site via truck. At some stations, the hydrogen is generated by on-site natural gas reformation, as well as through electrolysis, wind and solar means.

On Feb. 21, Air Products signed its first commercial lift truck contract to supply hydrogen fuel to material handling equipment in a manufacturing facility. The agreement includes the supply of hydrogen fuel for more than 100 vehicles using multiple indoor dispensers.

On Aug. 27, 2007, the company signed an agreement with the Defense Logistics Agency's research and development program to develop an indoor hydrogen fueling station infrastructure to fuel 40 hydrogen fuel cell-powered lift trucks for daily warehouse operations at the Defense Distribution Depot Susquehanna Pennsylvania.

More information on the tour can be found at http://www.dot.gov/affairs/dot11108.htm.