Hydrogen! Hawaii! Holy healthy highways!
Hawaii is leading the states with its clean energy initiative. One of its most promising goals is to achieve a 70% clean energy economy for Hawaii within a generation. This high objective may be quite possible as Hawaii will be the first of the fifty states to get a hydrogen fueling infrastructure through a collaborative pilot project by General Motors and The Gas Company.
The Gas Company, also known as TGC, is the chief energy and gas provider for the island of Oahu. It has been producing synthetic natural gas and hydrogen for quite a few years. The Gas Company is able to supply customers with synthetic natural gas and hydrogen through an island pipeline network that is mixed together with 5% pure hydrogen. TGC and the large amount of hydrogen and the pipeline that is on Oahu have given Hawaii an awesome opportunity to become a prime location to test this particular new transportation technology.
Now while one may be filling up their Naples GMC Yukon Hybrid purchased from used Acadia Naples dealer at their local gas station in Oahu with nonrenewable oil, others will be able to fill up their GMC fuel cell cars at any of 20 – 25 available hydrogen filling stations that will be located on the island of Oahu. These hydrogen filling stations will supply the much needed and renewable hydrogen to fuel cars because they will be able to tap into the TGC pipeline network.
The renewable hydrogen would be an enormous blessing for the state of Hawaii. Charles Freese, executive director of GM Global Fuel Cell Activities recently stated that Hawaii depends on imported petroleum for roughly 90% of its energy. This is a big motivating factor in helping Hawaii stay driven and focused in order to reduce petroleum use on the islands by 70%.
If GM and The Gas Company are able to reap successful results from this particular pilot project, tens of thousands of fuel cell cars may be supported through this hydrogen fueling infrastructure. This project would definitely set Hawaii as a model clean energy state for others to follow.