Hydrogen to power Freeport
8 May 2003
Dow Chemical is working with GM to determine whether GM's hydrogen fuel cells can be used to generate electricity from hydrogen created as a co-product at Dow's operations in Freeport, TX.
The 30-square-mile complex, 65 miles east of Houston, is Dow's largest manufacturing facility.
If tests proceed according to plan, Dow could eventually use up to 35 MW of power generated by 500 GM fuel cell units on an ongoing basis. Tests are expected to begin during the fourth quarter of 2003 and to run through 2005. The companies are aiming to commercialise the operation in 2006.
Though Texas is the first place where Dow and GM will test the technology, the two companies are already discussing the use of fuel cells to convert hydrogen to electricity in other Dow locations in the US and in Europe.
Both Dow and GM are members of the Green Power Market Development Group, a partnership between the World Resources Institute (www.wri.org) and twelve major US corporations, dedicated to building corporate markets for green power.
