The state of Hawaii is taking steps toward reducing petroleum use while increasing the availability of alternative fuels. The state’s Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative seeks to reduce gas consumption by 70% throughout Hawaii by 2030. To meet this goal, the state government has solicited grants, corporate partnerships and university research to facilitate infrastructure for fuel-cell vehicles. The state’s leading provider of gas energy, The Gas Company (TGC), has announced that it will produce more hydrogen in anticipation of fuel-cell vehicles rolled out by General Motors starting in 2015.
TGC is currently a supplier of synthetic natural gas and hydrogen to customers throughout the Hawaiian Islands. The company notes that about 5% of residential and commercial power delivered to its customers comes from hydrogen. TGC representatives note that they can produce more hydrogen thanks to a 1,000-mile pipeline and a new technique for processing renewable biogas. At present, TGC can produce the gas equivalent of 7,000 gallons per day for its hydrogen reserves with the potential to double this amount. The Hawaii Hydrogen Initiative featuring TGC and GM will also invest in hydrogen stations to tap into this supply. An increased supply in hydrogen plus an abundance of R&D funds means that TGC fueling stations will cost $500,000 apiece rather than the $2 million average paid for existing hydrogen stations.
General Motors has committed to delivering hydrogen vehicles to Hawaii as part of its Project Driveway. This alternative fuel project is the consequence of $1.5 billion in R&D investments in fuel cell technology since 1995. Project Driveway has already logged in excess of 1.4 million miles from hydrogen vehicle testers throughout the United States. GM’s efforts to develop fuel-cell vehicles have gone from novelty to practicality as the automaker emerges from bankruptcy. This fuel-cell technology will set GM apart from its competitors who have focused more resources on hybrids and all-electrics.
Hawaii’s commitment to hydrogen as an alternative fuel could be an exemplar to other states. Utilities throughout the United States are incorporating hydrogen power into their systems. The production of hydrogen is still a minor part of American energy systems due to costs and safety issues. The Gas Company and other utilities have been working on ways to resolve these issues while finding cost-effective methods of creating hydrogen. The Hawaii Hydrogen Initiative is still on the horizon but this type of alliance will be critical to developing sufficient infrastructure for a broader fuel-cell vehicle rollout.
