Hydrogen Economy In The Plant?

THE HYDROGEN ECONOMY IS BUILDING-NOT ON THE HIGHway yet, but certainly on the plant floor. case-in-point: a retrofitting service that offers owners of conventional lift trucks an opportunity to gain fuel-cell benefits by just replacing the lead-acid batteries. The payback is in time savings plus efficiency

gains, says Frank Trotter, president and CEO, General Hydrogen Corp., Richmond, British Columbia, Canada. "Typical payout is two-and-a-half to four years." Cost? Think of it this way-over a 10-year period the capital cost will be double that of a lead-acid battery, but operating cost will be less than half, adds Trotter. "Expect the delivery of constant voltage, no need for a battery room and no change in operating characteristics." The fuel tank lasts 18 hours and refills in three minutes, says Trotter. Typical customer: end-users such as Bridgestone in Wayne County, Tenn.

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