BOC to Participate in 700-bar Hydrogen Fuelling Demonstration in Canada
MURRAY HILL, N.J.--April 8, 2003--BOC , a producer and supplier of hydrogen, will participate in the Compressed Hydrogen Infrastructure Program (CH2IP), a hydrogen fuelling demonstration in Surrey, British Columbia.The CH2IP program was created and is led by Powertech Labs and BC Hydro. It brings together companies and organisations that work with hydrogen to advance the development of the infrastructure necessary to support the use of hydrogen fuel in vehicles.
Other participants include major oil companies, energy providers and equipment suppliers. The program is also benefiting from financial assistance from the governments of British Columbia and Canada under the Western Economic Partnership Agreement, to promote hydrogen and fuel cells in the province of British Columbia.
John Carolin, global director of hydrogen energy, BOC, says, "building a hydrogen refuelling infrastructure is a big step, but not a giant leap. We believe this program will demonstrate practical, manageable and affordable ways forward. BOC has a solid track record of bringing hydrogen solutions to its customers. I believe we can make an invaluable contribution to this important work."
"We are delighted to have BOC as one of the participants in our 700-bar refuelling station project. BOC's wide experience in the industrial gases field will be a valuable resource for this exciting project," said Prabha Kundur, president of Powertech Labs.
The CH2IP program seeks to:
| -- | Construct the world's first 700-bar fast-fill compressed hydrogen station to demonstrate the feasibility of using high-pressure technology to fuel hydrogen powered vehicles. |
| -- | Facilitate the development of standards for high-pressure hydrogen filling stations. |
| -- | Provide a testing ground for 700-bar hydrogen equipment and develop data on reliability, fast filling rates at 700-bar, operating temperatures, actual costs of generating and compressing hydrogen to various pressures, and safety considerations. |
| -- | Construct the world's first lightweight 825-bar trailer unit for transporting compressed hydrogen and demonstrate this technology as a low-cost hydrogen station infrastructure. |
| -- | Demonstrate hydrogen as a safe and manageable vehicle fuel and increase awareness of the benefits and safety of clean hydrogen technologies. |
The program consists of three projects. The first project was the construction of a 350-bar hydrogen refuelling station, which is now fully operational. The second project is the construction of a 700-bar refuelling station, including 875-bar storage and compression, which is now largely complete. The third project will include the construction of a satellite 700-bar refuelling station supplied using a lightweight 825-bar tube trailer. Construction of all three projects should be completed later this year, with a period of commissioning and testing through to the end of 2004. All of the facilities are located at Powertech Labs' site in Surrey, British Columbia.
Notes to editors:
The BOC Group , the worldwide industrial gases, vacuum technologies and distribution services company, serves two million customers in more than 50 countries. It employs 46,000 people and had annual sales of USD 6 billion in 2002. Further information about The BOC Group and its involvement in developing hydrogen fuel cell technology may be obtained on the Internet at http://www.boc.com.
Powertech Labs Inc is a wholly owned subsidiary of BC Hydro and is recognised internationally for its expertise in fuel storage and delivery systems for compressed gas fuelled vehicles.
The British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority (BC Hydro) is one of the largest electric utilities in Canada, serving more than 1.6 million customers in an area containing over 94 per cent of British Columbia's population. As a Crown Corporation owned by the Province of British Columbia, BC Hydro reports to the Minister of Energy and Mines, and is regulated by the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC). BC Hydro employs 6,000 people and had revenues of USD 4.3 billion in fiscal 2001/02. Further information about BC Hydro can be obtained at www.bchydro.com.
