Home | News Room | Hydrogen Fueling Station at GTI

4/11/07 Des Plaines, IL

Congressman Peter J. Roskam (R-IL) was on hand Tuesday, April 10 to open the first hydrogen fueling station in the State of Illinois, located at Gas Technology Institute (GTI) in Des Plaines. He observed the fueling of a hydrogen-powered vehicle and took it for a brief test drive.

The fueling dispenser will be publicly accessible by arrangement, with credit card access. Hydrogen produced by the station will meet purity requirements for prototype vehicles powered by hydrogen combustion engines and/or fuel cells. The station is capable of processing natural gas, water (through electrolysis), or ethanol to produce hydrogen. There is future potential to also produce hydrogen from the gasification of coal or biomass.

This and other efforts build off a major hydrogen infrastructure technology development effort funded by U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and GTI. GTI has a significant history in alternative fuels for transportation and other end use markets. Additional GTI hydrogen infrastructure projects are underway in California and Texas, with several other efforts in the planning stage. Fueling infrastructure development is critical to realizing the potential of advanced technology fuel cell vehicles.

Pictured left to right are Dan LeFevers, GTI Executive Director of Washington Operations, Congressman Peter Roskam, and David Carroll, GTI President and CEO.

Said David Carroll, GTI President and CEO, “We’re proud to be developing and commercializing new energy technologies that can make a difference for consumers, industry, and the nation. We feel fortunate to have the support of Congressman Roskam, and we will continue to focus our efforts on increasing energy supply, improving energy delivery, and using energy more efficiently and in a cleaner manner.”

Congressman Roskam spoke positively about GTI and complimented the organization on its ingenuity and leadership. He noted, “We’re here today to celebrate the convergence of wisdom and creativity, fueled by government and private industry sector support, in partnership with one of the big three auto manufacturers. Hydrogen is a fundamentally new way of fueling America, which can be potentially transformational, impacting our national security and our role in the world.” In closing, he remarked, “GTI has a great story to tell and I want to be someone who helps to tell that story.”

Also presenting at the event was Jerry Leanderson, North Central Region Government and Alternative Fuel Manager of General Motors. He introduced the HydroGen3 fuel cell vehicle as a “peek into the future”, noting it will reduce our dependence on foreign energy, enhance the role of the automobile in the environmental debate, and provide new opportunities for high-tech businesses and jobs.

About GTI
GTI is the leading research, development and training organization serving the natural gas industry. For more than 60 years, GTI has been meeting the nation's energy and environmental challenges by developing technology-based solutions for consumers, industry, and government.