Air Products' California Hydrogen Pipeline Powers Toyota

LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa., Oct. 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The switch was officially flipped today and Air Products (NYSE: APD), the leader in hydrogen fueling technology, added another hydrogen customer and yet another successful undertaking to its accomplished list of alternative energy projects.  Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. (TMS) activated the first-ever pipeline fed 1.1 megawatt (MW) proton exchange membrane (PEM) hydrogen fuel cell generator at a ceremony held at its Torrance, Calif. headquarters campus.    Air Products' Southern California hydrogen pipeline network is supplying the hydrogen to the zero emission fuel cell, capable of supplying approximately half of the electricity needs for six Toyota headquarters buildings during peak demand.

"Air Products has a long history of working with Toyota on alternative energy projects and now we add this novel and commendable endeavor.  Several years ago, Air Products had the vision of a pipeline-fed hydrogen fueling station as a glimpse of what the future can be.  That station operates today fueling vehicles across the street from Toyota's headquarters.  Now that pipeline extends to Toyota's campus where we will supply on-demand hydrogen to help power several buildings. We applaud Toyota for its progressive and forward-thinking directives in the use of alternative energy," said Ed Kiczek, global business director – Hydrogen Energy Systems at Air Products.

"Supporting alternative energy sources like hydrogen supports Toyota's overarching commitment to lessen our impact on the environment and drive forward innovative technology," said Bob Daly, TMS senior vice president. "Not only will this new hydrogen fuel cell generator reduce the environmental footprint of our headquarters campus, but it showcases the power and potential of hydrogen as a fuel source."  More information on Toyota is at www.toyotanewsroom.com or www.toyota.com.

Air Products' hydrogen, sourced through the purchase of landfill generated renewable bio-gas, is supplied to Ballard Power Systems' proprietary PEM stationary fuel cell.  Ballard designed and built the PEM fuel cell, the largest of its kind.  This direct power source will allow Toyota to reduce utility grid electricity usage during peak power demand.  Operation of the stationary fuel cell creates zero air emissions.  At 1.1 MW, the clean energy fuel cell system on average would provide enough power for about 765 homes. 

The same Air Products Torrance pipeline boasted another first just over a year ago as the supplier to the United States' first-ever pipeline-fed hydrogen fueling station.  The Torrance, California fueling station today supplies hydrogen for several automobile manufacturers' fuel cell vehicles in the Los Angeles area.  "The site is a tremendous model to show the efficiencies that can be gained with pipeline-supplied hydrogen to an automobile fueling station.  This mode of supply offers the lowest delivered, dispensed, and cost-competitive price for hydrogen fueling on a mass scale," said Kiczek.  Details on Air Products' hydrogen fueling station technologies and projects are at www.airproducts.com/h2energy. 

Air Products, the leading global supplier of hydrogen to refineries to assist in producing cleaner burning transportation fuels, has vast experience in the hydrogen fueling industry. In fact, several individual sites for certain hydrogen fueling applications today are fueling at rates of over 75,000 fills per year.  Use of the company's fueling technology is increasing and is over 500,000 hydrogen fills per year. The company has been involved in over 150 hydrogen fueling projects in the United States and 19 countries worldwide.  Cars, trucks, vans, buses, scooters, forklifts, locomotives, planes, cell towers, material handling equipment, and even submarines have been fueled with trend-setting Air Products' technologies. 

Air Products has more than 50 years of hydrogen experience and an extensive patent portfolio with over 50 patents in hydrogen dispensing technology.  Air Products provides liquid and gaseous hydrogen and a variety of enabling devices and protocols for fuel dispensing at varied pressures.  Hydrogen for these stations can be delivered to a site via truck or pipeline, produced by natural gas reformation, biomass conversion, or by electrolysis, including electrolysis that is solar and wind driven.

About Air Products
Air Products (NYSE: APD) provides atmospheric, process and specialty gases; performance materials; equipment; and technology. For over 70 years, the company has enabled customers to become more productive, energy efficient and sustainable. More than 20,000 employees in over 50 countries supply innovative solutions to the energy, environment and emerging markets. These include semiconductor materials, refinery hydrogen, coal gasification, natural gas liquefaction, and advanced coatings and adhesives. In fiscal 2011, Air Products had sales of approximately $10 billion. For more information, visit www.airproducts.com.

Editor's Note:  Photos of the Toyota opening ceremony event may be found at www.toyotanewsroom.com.

NOTE: This release may contain forward-looking statements within the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on management's reasonable expectations and assumptions as of the date of this release regarding important risk factors. Actual performance and financial results may differ materially from projections and estimates expressed in the forward-looking statements because of many factors not anticipated by management, including risk factors described in the Company's Form 10K for its fiscal year ended September 30, 2011.

SOURCE Air Products