Why hydrogen? It burns cleanly and efficiently.


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The state of Hawaii is extremely dependent on foreign oil – in fact it relies on oil for 78% of its energy needs. However, its small size and local road system also makes it an ideal candidate for alternative fuels. Hawaii and General Motors recently signed an agreement to build out a Hydrogen refueling infrastructure on the island of Oahu. The plan, called the Hawaii Hydrogen Initiative (H2I), aims to integrate hydrogen as an essential building block for Hawaii’s sustainable energy ecosystem. The plan will make 20-25 hydrogen stations available to all of Oahu’s one million residents. Unlike many parts of the United States, the small size of the island means that a refueling station will always be in range.

Why hydrogen? It burns cleanly and efficiently. And more importantly, it can be produced geo-thermally right in Hawaii. Self sustaining energy production will go a long way to lowering Hawaii’s total energy costs, and preventing another crisis like the 2008 oil spike that led to gasoline prices of almost $5.00 per gallon in Hawaii.

The plan builds on a May 2010 memorandum of understanding between TGC, one of Hawaii’s major utilities, and GM. TGC today produces enough hydrogen to power up to 10,000 fuel cell vehicles and has the capacity to produce much more hydrogen. GM is a leader in hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and fielded the world’s largest fuel cell demonstration fleet – more than 100 vehicles – beginning in 2007.

“Once the key hydrogen infrastructure elements are proven in Hawaii, other states can adopt similar approaches,” said Charles Freese, executive director of GM Fuel Cell Activities. “Germany, Japan and Korea are all building hydrogen infrastructures within this same timeframe. The work in Hawaii can provide a template for other regions.”

In addition to GM and TGC, the hydrogen initiative partners include the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT); U.S. Department of Energy; FuelCell Energy; Aloha Petroleum Ltd; Louis Berger Group; U.S. Pacific Command, supported by the U.S. Pacific Fleet, U.S. Pacific Air Forces, U.S. Army Pacific, and U.S. Marine Forces, Pacific; National Renewable Energy Laboratory; the County of Hawaii; University of California – Irvine, and the University of Hawaii.

This article first appeared on www.greencarbuzz.com