A subsidiary of Norsk Hydro (Oslo, Norway) unveiled a key component of what it claims will be one of the world's first hydrogen-filling stations for vehicles. The company reported that its "hydrogen electrolyzer" will use an electric charge to extract from water hydrogen to power vehicles with fuel cells. The device will be installed at a filling station in Reykjavik, Iceland's capital, next month.
Three DaimlerChrysler-made buses will use the station as fueling base to carry passengers around the city. Each bus will have a range of about 200km (125m) for each fillup. The system will give hydrogen-fueled cars the same range of distance as cars with gasoline-powered engines, about 400km (250m). The hydrogen-fueled buses will carry 40kg (88lbs) of hydrogen, while ordinary cars would need about 5kg (11lbs).
The electrolyzers are produced at Norsk Hydro's Notodden facility, 80km (50m) west of Oslo. The filling station project, including buses, involved 11 partners and cost 7 million euros (US$7.7 million). The Notodden factory expects to ship parts for a second filling station to Hamburg, Germany, in May 2003.
