Innovative commercial hydrogen fueling station planned

The first U.S. commercial hydrogen fueling station will be sited in an unlikely place, announced AltFuel Solutions, the company that is planning to build it near Cleveland, Ohio. Although the Midwestern state is not widely known for its alternative vehicles, it launched a $100 million initiative this past May to spur the development of projects that would support a hydrogen infrastructure. AltFuel earned a grant from the state this month for its innovative design, which calls for the station to generate hydrogen by reforming natural gas. Some of the electricity needed to run the station will come from a fuel cell powered by excess hydrogen, while a bank of solar cells on the station’s roof will provide additional power. The facility will also dispense natural gas, according to Eric Christiansen, AltFuel’s program director, who acknowledges that the company is trying to reach an agreement with the operator of a fleet of natural gas vehicles to ensure that it can be profitable. AltFuel says the station could open in early 2004.