autoindustry.co.uk: CEO of Shell Hydrogen, reveals Shell Hydrogen's new concept of "Mini-networks" (ShellNews.net)

Posted 10 August 2004

Jeremy Bentham, CEO of Shell Hydrogen, revealed Shell Hydrogen's new concept of "Mini-networks" as "Lighthouse Projects" to guide the development of the Hydrogen Market at the World Hydrogen Energy Conference in Japan on 1 July.

During the conference Bentham unveiled a proposal to develop a new generation of "Lighthouse Projects" that more accurately represent the reality of what the future will look like. "People need to be able to witness the wonder of hydrogen technology for themselves - not just read about it," he said.

50m tonnes of hydrogen is already produced and consumed worldwide every year, mainly in industrial settings. Much of this takes place in oil refineries; Shell itself produces more than 7,000 tons of hydrogen a day, where it is used to produce cleaner fossil fuels, and believes important production ‘node’s are already in place which form an ideal platform to introduce "Lighthouse Projects" in the form of mini-networks. This would mean moving away from isolated industry demonstration projects to mini-networks that already have both semi-commercial and subsided elements.

Elements of each new "Lighthouse Project" should include:

- Fleets building up to 100 vehicles and beyond

- Fuelled from mini-network of 4-6 integrated hydrogen/gasoline stations

- Public Private Partnerships

- More than one vehicle manufacturer

- More than one infrastructure supplier

- Fleet company

- Government & regional/local authority

- Both subsidised and semi-commercial elements

- Focus on transportation in urbanised markets

- E.g. Tokyo, Los Angeles, the Rhine region

- Some stationary power elements

- High visibility.

(Source: www.h2cars.biz)

http://www.autoindustry.co.uk/news/industry_news/news-55njog2io8