The Gas Company and GM Open Fuel Cell Vehicle Service Facility
HONOLULU – The Gas Company LLC, Hawaii’s clean gas energy provider, and General Motors (GM) today dedicated the opening of a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle service center established to test and maintain a fleet of Chevrolet Equinox fuel cell vehicles. GM will operate the service center, located at The Gas Company’s Kamakee operation facility in Honolulu, Hawaii.
“Today marks another milestone in Hawaii’s diversified energy portfolio,” said Jeffrey Kissel, president and CEO of The Gas Company. “With this facility and The Gas Company’s ability to produce enough hydrogen to power the equivalent of up to 10,000 vehicles annually, we will be promoting a greener and more sustainable transportation solution that further reduces our petroleum dependency.”
The Gas Company and General Motors are founding members of the Hawaii Hydrogen Initiative, a unique partnership among 13 agencies, companies and universities to develop hydrogen infrastructure in Hawaii with the goal of displacing petroleum imports by operating vehicles powered by renewable hydrogen.
“General Motors is proud to support the people of Hawaii in their energy independence efforts,” said Charles Freese, executive director of GM Fuel Cell Activities. “In Hawaii, we’re working with our partners to ensure that fuel cell vehicles and the necessary hydrogen refueling infrastructure come to market at the same time.”
GM operates the world’s largest fuel cell vehicle fleet, with more than 115 vehicles worldwide accumulating more than 2.4 million miles. U.S. Army, Pacific, U.S. Pacific Fleet, U.S. Pacific Air Forces and U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, are testing 16 Chevrolet Equinox fuel cell vehicles in Hawaii in an effort to research efficient, clean and renewable energy sources and reduce the U.S. military’s dependence on petroleum. These vehicles will be serviced at GM’s new hydrogen fuel cell vehicle service center in Honolulu.
A fuel cell electric vehicle uses hydrogen stored in the vehicle fuel tank to create electricity that drives the vehicle. It consumes no petroleum, produces zero harmful tailpipe emissions, and can be refueled in as few as three minutes with long-range operation of up to 300 miles per charge.
In addition to The Gas Company and GM, Hawaii Hydrogen Initiative partners include the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism; U.S. Department of Energy; FuelCell Energy; Aloha Petroleum Ltd; Louis Berger Group; U.S. Pacific Command, which is supported by the U.S. Pacific Fleet, U.S. Pacific Air Forces, U.S. Army, Pacific, and U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific; National Renewable Energy Laboratory; the County of Hawaii; the University of Hawaii; University of California–Irvine; and Proton Onsite.
More information about the Hawaii Hydrogen Initiative can be found online at www.hydrogen2hawaii.com.
ABOUT THE GAS COMPANY
Overview
The Gas Company, LLC, (TGC) provides clean, reliable and efficient gas energy to residential, business and government customers in every community across Hawaii’s six major islands — Oahu, Maui, Hawaii, Kauai, Molokai and Lanai. Next to the sun itself, gas is the most efficient way to heat water, cook food and dry clothes.
TGC makes synthetic natural gas (SNG) at the only facility of its kind in the United States and supplies it through a 1,100-mile pipeline network to nearly 30,000 commercial and residential utility customers on Oahu. TGC also supplies tank and bottled propane gas to more than 40,000 customers statewide.
Clean Energy
To help Hawaii’s state government meet its goal of 70 percent clean energy by 2030, TGC is producing renewable natural gas (RNG) from sustainable non-food-grade oils and fats at its RNG production plant on Oahu. TGC is working to produce at least half of its gas from renewable and sustainable sources.
Parent Company
The Gas Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Macquarie Infrastructure Company (NYSE: MIC — www.macquarie.com/mic). MIC owns, operates and invests in a diversified group of infrastructure businesses that provide basic services to customers across the United States.
ABOUT GENERAL MOTORS
General Motors Co. (NYSE:GM, TSX: GMM) and its partners produce vehicles in 30 countries, and the company has leadership positions in the world’s largest and fastest-growing automotive markets. GM’s brands include Chevrolet and Cadillac, as well as Baojun, Buick, GMC, Holden, Isuzu, Jiefang, Opel, Vauxhall and Wuling. More information on the company and its subsidiaries, including OnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety, security and information services, can be found at https://www.gm.com.
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