Mid-August 2010 was not good for General Motors (GM) in Rochester, NY (or for Praxair). WIVB-TV has posted some video of an explosion seen from an airport security camera while Praxair was exchanging some compressed hydrogen storage tanks. Look for flames in the upper left corner after the camera shakes from the blast (or see County video of explosion near airport):
Not the worst thing in the world, but a black eye for GM (and Praxair). Nobody died, but two people were injured.
To avoid Hindenburg-style sensationalism, I'd like to see some analysis that looks at how many accidents happen with the gasoline refueling supply chain, in comparison with the current hydrogen refueling infrastructure. This is the first hydrogen event I've heard of, and many, many gasoline "events" occur in the U.S. each year. And nobody is talking about getting rid of gasoline!
Of course, if they generated hydrogen on-site at the refueling station with an electrolyzer, rather than bringing in compressed hydrogen made from fossil fuels, this might never have happened.
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