State funds 1st hydrogen fueling station in Hamden

State funds 1st hydrogen fueling station in Hamden

Aug 13 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - Ann DeMatteo New Haven Register, Conn.

The state's first hydrogen fueling station will be parked at the public works garage on Shepard Avenue.

At some point in the future, it is expected that hydrogenpowered vehicles owned by the town, and by the Greater New Haven Transit District, located on nearby Sherman Avenue, would gas up there.

The state Bond Commission has given $250,000 to fund the fueling station, which is expected to be installed at public works by spring, said state Rep. J. Brendan Sharkey, DHamden, who helped secure the funding.

The project is a collaborative effort among the transit district, the town, the state and the office of U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-3.

"We're happy that Hamden is the first site in the state," Mayor Craig B. Henrici said Tuesday, acknowledging the work by Sharkey, state Senate Majority Leader Martin Looney, D-New Haven, and DeLauro.

The transit district has received a $1.5 million research and development grant to develop a small alternative fuel transit vehicle, according to Executive Director Donna Carter.

The transit district is working with several different vendors for parts and pieces, and it is hoped that the vehicle will be assembled in Connecticut, creating jobs, Carter said. The test vehicle isn't expected on the road until 2010.

The transit district uses small buses to provide rides to 4,000 elderly and disabled residents in the region.

"The reason why we're really excited about this is this vehicle would be a low-floor vehicle with a ramp. That's a big plus," Carter said.

A c c o r d i n g t o S h a r k e y , $750,000 has been granted for the equipment for the hydrogen fueling station. The $250,000 from the Bond Commission will go toward site improvements. Avalence LLC, a Milford hightech manufacturer, will install its prototype in Hamden.

"Their technology allows them to use solar and wind power to create electricity. There will be solar panels that will create electricity to run the fueling station. It's completely green," Sharkey said.

Sharkey said that Hamden could approach major car manufacturers about replacing gaspowered vehicles with hydrogen-powered ones.

"Naturally, we don't expect our whole fleet to be replaced in a year or two but this is the technology of the future," Henrici said.

"It is truly exciting to be involved in promoting a new technology that not only helps the environment and reduces our reliance on foreign oil, but also saves taxpayers money while promoting Connecticut's emerging high-tech business community," Sharkey said.