Air Products’ Hydrogen for Mobility

Fuelling the Future

Air Products has a long history in South Africa as a leader in the local industrial gas market and related supply chain management, and globally they have been conducting safe hydrogen fuelling for more than 25 years. During that time they have conducted an average of 1.5 million hydrogen fuelling operations a year. Air Products has more than 250 hydrogen fuelling sites in 20 countries and holds 50 patents for hydrogen fuelling.

Air Products supports clean energy, low carbon, and renewable applications globally and Air Products is involved not only in fuelling cars, trucks, and buses, but also submarines, ships, train locomotives, power generating systems, forklifts, and materials handling equipment.

At the end of 2023, Air Products South Africa joined partners Sasol and Toyota and presented South Africa’s first on-road demonstration of a hydrogen mobility ecosystem in Johannesburg. The proof-of-concept used a second-generation Toyota Mirai fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) fuelled with Sasol’s green hydrogen dispensed by Air Products, which provides specialist mobile hydrogen storage. The partnership between the three technology leaders was formed in 2021 to promote the use of hydrogen as a fuel of the future.

“Hydrogen, the most abundant element in the universe, has the potential to be a game-changer in the quest for sustainable transportation.”

Hydrogen, which is the most abundant element in the universe, can be used as a fuel through combustion or through a hydrogen fuel cell and is the cleanest burning and most efficient fuel. In the hydrogen for mobility transportation sector, fuel cell vehicles use hydrogen to power an electric motor, and in the global quest for sustainable transportation solutions, hydrogen is likely to deliver groundbreaking results.

Air Products works across the entire hydrogen value chain, including production, distribution, storage, and dispensing and has been a pioneer in hydrogen fuelling for decades and is able to determine the most economical supply option for customers, based on their particular application and geographic location.

Cylinders: The traditional solution for low-volume gas supply which can be supplied directly or through our extensive network of distributors.
Bulk Supply: With this mode, hydrogen is delivered by truck and stored on a customer’s site, either as a liquid in cryogenic tanks or as a gas in high-pressure tubes based on their volume, desired pressure and operating pattern.
On-site Hydrogen Gas Generation: On-site gas generation helps sustainability-minded customers lower their carbon footprint, boost energy efficiency, increase throughput, enhance end product quality, and improve environmental performance.
Pipeline Supply: Air Products’ pipeline network, located in major industrial locations around the world, (including Sasolburg, Vanderbijlpark, Vereeniging, Heidelburg and Springs), offer customers with large product demands a range of benefits, including reliable, safe and flexible supply in a cost-effective way.

KEY FACTS

Air Products is the world’s largest enabler of end-to-end hydrogen solutions on all aspects of the green hydrogen supply value chain, making green hydrogen accessible for end users, thereby positioning themselves as a key technology partner in the hydrogen value chain
Air Products has been a pioneer in hydrogen fuelling for decades
Air Products is a key technology enabler for the successful implementation of hydrogen for mobility
Currently Air Products is the leading company in SA in terms of hydrogen technology and expertise and the position is further strengthened by their ability to access global expertise
Air Products has the capability and expertise to develop opportunities and contribute to the growth of the green hydrogen energy transition

AIR PRODUCTS’ GLOBAL INTEGRATED HYDROGEN REFUELLING STATIONS (HRS)

Air Products’ H2fM® Hydrogen for Mobility solutions deliver a complete service for their customers, offering a dependable broad range of hydrogen supply and fuelling infrastructure, leading technology and equipment, and proven expertise to enable the successful commercialization of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles around the world. Air Products offers turnkey hydrogen fuelling stations with Air Products proprietary technologies and has hands-on operating experience.

WHY CHOOSE HYDROGEN FOR MOBILITY?

When used to power vehicles, it most closely replicates the traditional transportation fuel consumer experience in terms of refuelling, range and performance.

Hydrogen is considered environmentally friendly for the following reasons:

It can be produced by the electrolysis of water using renewable resources such as solar and wind power.
It plays a key role in driving the energy transition to avoid the impacts of climate change.
It is carbon free, non-polluting and has zero emissions
According to a report from the Hydrogen Council in collaboration with McKinsey & Company, hydrogen can help reduce global emissions by as much as 20 percent if hydrogen is utilized to decarbonize heavy-duty transport and industry.
Within a hydrogen fuel cell, hydrogen combines with oxygen from the air to create electricity. The fuel cell can run continuously and generate energy as long as the hydrogen fuel is being supplied, and the only by-products are heat and water.
It is non-toxic, and unlike gasoline, hydrogen is not harmful to living things.
Hydrogen is the answer to hard-to-electrify markets where electrification is not feasible or practical.
It is a highly efficient source of energy as the fuel cells are up to three times more efficient than internal combustion engines.
It creates passenger and driver comfort due to the quiet operation, the fact that there is no vibration and the smooth driving experience that is associated with hydrogen -driven vehicles.
Hydrogen is associated with quick refuel times versus battery recharging. As an example, it only takes ten to fifteen minutes to fill a truck with enough fuel to travel for 300 to 500km.
It can be produced from renewable resources, reducing dependence on foreign oil and enabling global energy security. It is regarded as energy independent.
Hydrogen is available in abundance as it is the most commonly found element in the universe.

IS HYDROGEN FUELlING SAFE?

Hydrogen is not more or less safe than other fuels, it is simply different. Hydrogen vehicles and fuelling stations must be designed around the unique properties of hydrogen.

Hydrogen has been produced safely and used globally in various applications for over 100 years. When handled properly by companies like Air Products who have over 60 years of hydrogen experience, hydrogen, like all transportation fuels, can be very safe.

Hydrogen is the lightest of all elements as the gas diffuses into the air immediately and does not “pool” at the location in the event of a leak, reducing the risk of explosion. Safety is Air Products’ number one priority and incorporated into all aspects of the products.

COST OF HYDROGEN

The cost of hydrogen is dependent on the production technology, the cost of the feedstock, and power. Delivery, storage and fuel delivery equipment are also part of the cost. Consumers may see a wide range in price difference depending on their geography, delivery method and economies of scale. When assessing the cost, the full picture needs to be taken into account. Hydrogen has the potential to compete with diesel when considering the true cost of operating a vehicle on a fossil fuel versus the improved efficiency of a fuel cell and the impact of carbon emissions on society, health services and on the environment.

Service that delivers the difference