Shell Opens Los Angeles' First Combined Hydrogen and Gasoline Station - (USA)

Located on Santa Monica Boulevard and Federal Avenue (near I-405) thestation joins California's 'hydrogen highway', and gives consumers a taste ofthe future, withrefueling services for hydrogen powered fuel cell vehiclesbecoming just as convenient as conventional gasoline motors.

In hydrogen vehicles, an electric motor powers the wheels. A chemicalreaction inside a unit called a fuel cell -- usually between hydrogen andoxygen -- creates electricity for the motor.

The only tail pipe emission is water vapor, which produces zero carbonemissions and has the potential to significantly reduce air pollutants andgreenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality, and protect against climatechange.

California already has more fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) and hydrogenrefueling stations than any other part of the world, and last year recorded1.5 million zero emission miles from hydrogen FCV trials. Twenty-five hydrogenstations currently operate in California, most in the San Francisco-Sacramentocorridor and the Greater Los Angeles and San Diego regions, serving more than100 fuel cell passenger vehicles and transit buses, with a further tenstations already in the planning stages.

Hydrogen production at the Shell station will be done on-site by theelectrolysis of water using 'green electricity'(1) purchased from the LosAngeles City Department of Water & Power. It will then be compressed andstored to provide daily fueling.

The station will also support a U.S. Department of Energy hydrogeninfrastructure program, to supply hydrogen to future and existing GeneralMotors FCVs in the LA metro area. GM plans to lease more than thirty ChevroletEquinox Fuel Cell-Electric compact SUVs to private and commercial customers inSouthern California, as part of a three-year trial, called "Project Driveaway"to test the vehicles in real world driving conditions.

Officiating at the launch, City of Los Angeles Councilman Bill Rosendahlsaid, "California has made significant progress demonstrating fuel cellvehicle technology and fuel alternatives, but this still requires much moreprogress by vehicle and infrastructure providers and the state. However, I amdelighted that today, with support from Shell, we are able to continue to growa safe and secure hydrogen infrastructure, that enables fuel cell vehicles torefuel more conveniently, as we move towards the future commercialisation ofclean transportation technology."

With the US one of the largest automotive markets in the world, with over247 million vehicles on its roads(2), car ownership predicted to increase by45% between 2005 and 20203, and US energy consumption set to rise to 139.9quadrillion Btu by 20154, hydrogen FCVs are set to play an important part inthe United States' growing energy and mobility needs.

In addition to zero tailpipe emissions, finding ways to produce hydrogenfrom renewable sources will be critically important to making the fuelinfrastructure sustainable. And with ground breaking approaches to produce'green hydrogen', manufactured from renewable energy sources, such asbioethanol (derived from biomass) and solar energy being researched for thefuture, 'well to wheel' emissions will be able to near zero.

Hydrogen can also be produced from a number of different feedstocksincluding oil, coal, and biomass. This allows different countries tomanufacture hydrogen with their own domestic supplies, and at the same timereduce costs and increase security of supply.

Graeme Sweeney, Executive Vice President for Shell Future Fuels and CO2said: "California is leading the way with clean fuels, as it moves one stepcloser to realizing its hydrogen program, FCVs powered by hydrogen willprovide a sustainable transportation choice for the future, opening up newmarkets across the globe. This requires the sustained effort of energycompanies, auto manufacturers and federal and state governments workingtogether. We are pleased to be playing our part to help develop a safe andreliable fueling infrastructure for future clean energy vehicles, as the onlymajor energy company involved in FCV vehicle demonstrations in all three majorhydrogen markets -- North America, Japan, and Europe."

James J. Provenzano, President of the 40 year-old public advocacy groupClean Air Now added: "This is a very exciting development. With this station,Shell is helping to usher in the hydrogen age. We are very pleased to beworking with a large oil company to demonstrate zero-pollution transportationtechnologies. Hats off to Shell for implementing innovative solutions tomitigate air pollution right here in Los Angeles."

'Shell Hydrogen' refers to the companies of the Shell Group of companiesthat are engaged in the pursuit and development of businesses related tohydrogen and fuel cells. Each of the companies that make up the Shell Groupof companies is a separate and distinct legal entity. Principal offices ofShell Hydrogen are located in The Hague, the Netherlands, with regional basesin Houston and Tokyo. Shell Hydrogen has been developing hydrogen and fuelcell businesses since 1999. For further information, please visithttp://www.shell.com/hydrogen.