Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons
NEWARK, Del. – Senator Chris Coons and Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester (both D-Del.) joined Air Liquide and Toyota at Air Liquide’s Delaware Innovation Campus today to highlight the future of hydrogen energy and support the use of hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles and fueling stations in Delaware and across the United States.
In March, Senator Coons and Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) introduced the Hydrogen for Trucks Act, a bipartisan bill to support the adoption of heavy-duty hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and hydrogen fueling stations. The Hydrogen for Trucks Act is the latest addition to the Coons-Cornyn Hydrogen Infrastructure Initiative, a package of bills to support the deployment of hydrogen technologies and cut emissions in hard-to-abate sectors. These carbon-intensive sectors—such as global shipping or the production of steel, cement, glass, and chemicals—face technological barriers that limit the adoption of other forms of clean energy.
“Air Liquide’s and Toyota’s collaborative work to develop trucks and cars that use hydrogen, the most abundant element in our universe, is the future of our economy and the next chapter of energy innovation and development,” said Senator Coons. “I am proud to be working with Senator Cornyn on four bills that would incentivize the development and delivery of commercial scale hydrogen deployment to make sure that the hydrogen hub of the future is built right here in Delaware.”
“I was proud to join Senator Coons and the leadership at Air Liquide this morning to see the enormous potential of hydrogen as a fuel source put into action,” said Rep. Blunt Rochester. “Ensuring that Delaware is a central hub of hydrogen deployment for decades to come is a top priority of our congressional delegation, and working with innovative companies like Air Liquide, I’m confident that we’ll be able to realize that better – and cleaner – future.”
“Air Liquide thanks Senator Coons for his commitment to the role of hydrogen in supporting a U.S. clean energy transition. The development and deployment of hydrogen is essential to decarbonizing sectors across our economy, and through innovation and critical R&D, Delaware is playing an important role,” said Katie Ellet, president, Hydrogen Energy and Mobility, Air Liquide. “The growth of a domestic hydrogen mobility market will go a long way in lowering our carbon emissions, while creating new jobs, revenue, and opportunity in Delaware and across the country. The leadership of our policymakers, like Sen. Coons and Rep. Blunt Rochester, helps ensure that the United States unlocks the full benefits of a clean energy economy with hydrogen at its core.”
Hydrogen offers significant potential to contribute to the energy sector and our economy. Offering the highest energy content of any fuel on the market, hydrogen in transportation applications emits only water as a byproduct. This allows hydrogen to contribute as a fuel for zero-emission fuel-cell powered vehicles. Air Liquide has been collaborating with Toyota to support their hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle, the “Mirai.” To support the Mirai’s sales in the U.S. as well as future hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, Air Liquide has built and supplied hydrogen fueling stations in the Northeast U.S., and has a number of stations ready for commercial operation.