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Hydrogen fueling station plan to be heard
(by Karen F. Mrnarevic - May 13, 2008)
The Woodcliff Lake Planning Board has authorized the hiring of a consultant, pending the review of references, to aid in its evaluation of BMW’s site plan for the installation of a liquid hydrogen storage tank and fueling station. The fueling station will be for private use by BMW personnel to fuel Hydrogen 7 model cars, which are capable of running on both hydrogen and gasoline, but are not yet available to the public. There are currently no other hydrogen fueling stations located in the state of New Jersey, and there are only 66 in operation nationwide. (www.hydrogenassociation.org).
The board is expected to hire Douglas M. Rode, P.E., of Hydrogen Safety, LLC, in Hartford, Conn., for a fee of $19,000, which will be paid by BMW into an escrow account, to conduct a study of the BMW plan and offer his input in the process. Hydrogen Safety has worked with BMW in the past, a fact which is unsettling at least one member of the public, who believes this to be a conflict of interest. Borough resident Kevin O’Brien questions whether Rode is the best man for the job. He believes that he planning board and borough engineer should have spent more time seeking a consultant and reviewing credentials for several possible consultants before deciding to hire one. “Why the rush?” said O’Brien in a recent phone interview. “We are talking about our community’s safety, not BMW’s revenue.”
According to Councilman John Glaser, who is the liaison to the Planning Board, the borough engineer, Elliot Sachs of Boswell McClave Engineering, was tasked with researching possible hydrogen fuel experts to act as a consultant to the board and found that “there really aren’t that many out there.” Glaser said that Rode “seemed the most promising” for the very same reason that O’Brien thinks he should be discounted – his past experience with BMW.
In the proposal submitted by Hydrogen Safety, LLC to Sachs on April 22, Rode proposed to assist the planning board in three phases. His first task would be to review BMW’s design and issue a written report of his findings. The second task would be to participate in the planning board review of the application on May 27, and the third task would be to conduct an on-site inspection of the refueling station and issue a report confirming that the installed equipment is compliant with the approved design. Hydrogen Safety’s proposal states, “Our familiarity with BMW’s liquid hydrogen refueling station at their Oxnard CA facility, our work with their new service building for Hydrogen and our safety training programs, allows us to effectively undertake this assignment.” According to Glaser, Rode should be formally hired by passage of a resolution at a future meeting of the board.
There are numerous dangers associated with the containment and dispensation of liquid hydrogen, but it is not regulated by the EPA, due in part to the fact that it is a relatively new fuel source and few vehicles are equipped to run on hydrogen. In order for hydrogen to remain in a liquid state, it must be cryogenically stored at an extremely low temperature. As a result, there is the potential for severe frostbite if a person were to come into contact with it.
In its gaseous state, hydrogen is colorless, odorless and highly flammable. It has a very low “ignition energy,” meaning that even static electricity can ignite it. Furthermore, flames from a hydrogen fire are virtually invisible in daylight, as it does not smoke or radiate heat when ignited. However, according to the New Jersey Hydrogen Learning Center at Rutgers, “a number of studies have examined hydrogen and conclude that while hydrogen raises a different set of safety concerns, experience has shown that they can be addressed… These included tests by Lockheed Martin, Arthur D. Little, BMW and the University of Miami that all conclude hydrogen is no more dangerous than gasoline” (www.policy.rutgers.edu/ceeep/njh2lc.html).
Given the volatile nature of the chemical, and the difficulty of detecting hydrogen leaks and fires, U.S. Department of Transportation put together a System Safety Plan (SSP) suggesting guidelines for facilities that store and dispense liquid hydrogen. The SSP suggests that these facilities be equipped with hydrogen detection devices, which alert personnel to evacuate if hydrogen concentrations reach flammable levels. The DOT also recommends that a portion of the SSP be devoted to a discussion with local fire safety and emergency responder agencies. Until BMW makes the presentation of its plans, it is unclear what kind of hydrogen detection devices the company plans to install in garages housing hydrogen-fueled cars, and what level of communication with local officials the company plans to have.
The plan is set to be heard by the Planning Board on May 27. However, it is not guaranteed that the plan will be approved at that time. Glaser said, “It could be done on that night: it could be done next week; it could be done a month from now. It depends on the circumstances.” He mentioned that there are various contributing factors that could hold up the plan approval, such as if public safety personnel wish to look over the plan and ask their own questions of BMW’s expert, or if the board wishes to further deliberate, involving other borough entities.
“It could definitely drag out.”
Karen F. Mrnarevic's e-mail address is Mrnarevic@northjersey.com.
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