CROWES Bulletin March 2008.qxp
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News part of Norway’s HyNor project. The project will make driving a hydrogenfulled vehicle between Stavanger and Oslo possible by 2009. In August 2006, Statoil opened its first Hydrogen Pump at is Forus Service Station near Stavanger. Statoil’s two hydrogen-fulled cars will be linked in with the Forus HyNor Station. In June, nine further cars will be linked in with the new HyNor Filling Station at Gronland, eastern Norway.. An additional two hydrogen-fuelled cars will become part of the Hytec Research Centre’s Filling Station in Trondheim next year.
Italy, Another AGIP multi energy service station opened Eni chief executive, Paolo Scaroni, and the President of the Lombardy Region, Roberto Formigoni, opened the third Agip multiEnergy service station, a state-of-the-art facility that makes innovative use of new forms of energy to improve respect for the quality of the environment and of life. The station is part of the European Zero Regio Project, which aims to develop, in Lombardy and the RheinMain region in Germany, integrated systems for sustainable mobility through the use of multifuel hydrogen service stations for zero-emissions vehicles. The Zero Regio Project, which is cofinanced by the European Commission, involves the construction and experimentation of two innovative structures for the supply of multifuel hydrogen, in Mantua and Frankfurt, for the refuelling of fuel cell vehicles, using a range of technological options for the production and distribution of hydrogen. 16 partners from 4 European countries are involved in the project and it is coordinated, at a European level, by Infraserv Höchst GmbH and in Italy by the Lombardy Region. In Mantua hydrogen is produced, at the service station, using a gaspowered 20 mc/h reformer. The technology uses a high-temperature catalytic process with a pre-mixed flow of steam and natural gas which is transformed into hydrogen in successive stages. The fleet of vehicles is made up of three cell fuel-driven Fiat Pandas, bought by the Lombardy Region for the municipality of Mantua. Always with the aim of reducing CO2 emissions, the Mantua and Frankfurt stations are also considered „Green Petrol Stations”, given that they are equipped with solar panels of 8 and 20 kWp respectively, that can generate 24
electricity from a renewable source of around 30,000 kWh/year, which corresponds to a reduction of around 16 tons/year of CO2 emissions. For the petrol-based part, multiEnergy is an innovative modular concept that integrates the refuelling of hydrogen with a range of conventional liquid and gaseous fuels, including biofuels, with a view to contributing to the development of the new generation of low/zeroemission vehicles that car manufacturers are offering the market. In terms of energy saving, the multiEnergy station could become, in the short term, a platform for bioconstruction and bio-architecture to test low-impact recycled materials, electrical, heating, air-conditioning and lighting systems with efficiency gains that will make it possible to reduce energy consumption in terms of kWh/m2/year as is happening across Europe. In the short term Eni will use hydrogen mixed with methane. The aim being to launch, at a national and European level, the use of this hydrogen-methane mix as an immediate solution, exploiting the Italian competitive advantage in terms of infrastructure and know-how in methane compared with the rest of Europe. Eni’s commitment has been formally recognised by two important sustainability indexes: the Dow Jones Sustainability Index and the FTSE4Good. The creation of this new Agip multiEnergy station is a further demonstration of Eni’s commitment to the continuous improvement of the entire Agip network and the objective of providing a wide range of services and products. Eni has always viewed “Technology and Environment” together; the Agip network was the first in Italy to distribute unleaded petrol in 1987 and to produce, from the early ’90s, low sulphur diesel, as well as products such as BluDiesel, BluSuper, sulphur-free diesel and petrol, anticipating by a wide margin the introduction of European norms in 2009.
Georgia, SOCAR signs agreement on purchase of 14 petrol stations in Georgia On November 12 2007, State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) signed an agreement through its subsidiary Socar Energy Georgia LLC on the purchase of a network of 14
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petrol stations in Georgia “After the signing of the agreement we are going to start renaming all the petrol stations as they will operate under SOCAR trademark,” Socar Energy Georgia’s head Mair Mammadov said. In parallel SOCAR is building petrol stations independently in Georgia. “I think five petrol stations under construction will be commissioned until late 2007. Our network will use by 80% petroleum products supplied from Baku and only high-octane petrol will be imported from other countries,” he said. The network of 19 petrol stations will allow increase sharply SOCAR’s share at the Georgian market of oil products. “Today our share at wholesale petrol market in Georgia is 50% and at market of AI-92 petrol 70%. SOCAR supplies to Georgia on average 20,000 tons of oil products a month, including 15,000 tons of petrol,” Mammadov said. Earlier, until late 2007 SOCAR wanted to bring its retail network in Georgia up to 15 petrol stations, including its own and rented ones. SOCAR investments in Georgia have exceeded $300 million. Through its subsidiary SOCAR intends to expand its activity on whole oil sector of Georgia. SOCAR has a 51% stake in Socar Energy Georgia LLC and the rest belongs to Georgian partners.
USA, Georgia authorities seek input on E85 fuel standards US Georgia state fuel standards meant to protect consumers from buying low-quality fuel could have the unintended effect of squelching the state's new ethanol industry, experts say. That's why the state Department of Agriculture is holding two town hall meetings, to take suggestions on how to update Georgia's fuel standards for ethanol blends. Interest in the ethanol industry has increased along with fuel prices and American concern about U.S. energy security. A new state incentive is available for offering an ethanol-mix fuel at retail pumps. Ethanol refineries are popping up in Middle Georgia. A cellulosic ethanol plant, using wood to make ethanol, is being built in Soperton. Another in Cordele is planning to turn soft drinks and other juices into ethanol. "Ethanol production is ramping up in Georgia, and we want to make sure ethanol producers here work well with
