Air Products Awarded Grant for Lehigh County Hydrogen Fueling Pilot

Air Products & Chemicals learned this week it has received a $209,046 Alternative Fuel Incentive Grant from the state of Pennsylvania for its efforts in hydrogen fueling. The company will use the money to "deploy a next-phase pilot demonstration of ... hydrogen fueling technology in Lehigh County," according to a release on the Department of Environmental Protection website.

According to information from DEP, the Air Products grant is for the company's Hydrogen Fueling Station 70MPa Upgrade project. DEP says the project has the following goals:

• To upgrade Air Products' hydrogen fueling station to 70MPa.
• To use the new 70MPa fueling station to facilitate the future R&D testing and development of hydrogen as an alternative transportation fuel and maintain Air Product leadership in the area.
• To further educate the public on the safe use of hydrogen as an alternative transportation fuel, and on the future of the hydrogen transportation economy with the most advanced fuel cell vehicles.

Air Products' website points out that the company "offers a full line of equipment for hydrogen fueling stations. We have extensive experience in the supply of hydrogen to a wide range of vehicles including forklifts, automobiles and buses."

AFIG grants were also awarded Nov. 7 to 33 businesses, counties and organizations converting or purchasing 351 natural gas vehicles and 337 propane vehicles, the DEP release said. An estimated 15 new fueling stations and 30 existing stations will be supported by these vehicles.