World’s first hydrogen fueling station powered by sewage opens in California

By Mike Flacy August 29, 2011

air-products-hydrogen-fuel — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Residents of California can take a trip to Orange County and find the world’s first sewage-powered refueling station. Located just off the 405 freeway, the station is located next to the Orange County waste-water treatment plant in Fountain Valley. The hydrogen fuel offers about 70 miles per gallon and the station can fuel up to 50 automobiles per day with the daily 120 kilograms of hydrogen gas produced at the plant. In order to produce the hydrogen gas, sewage is processed to collect methane. This methane is converted into hydrogen and sent into a fuel cell to power the entire plant with 250 kilowatts of electricity.

The remaining hydrogen is converted into fuel grade hydrogen and sent to the fueling station for consumer use. The people behind the conversion technology, AirPower, are looking at other sources for methane capture such as animal waste and landfill gas to potentially power millions of automobiles. This project was spearheaded by the U.S. Department of Energy in combination with the Orange County Sanitation District and California Air Resources Board. In addition to automobiles, hydrogen fuel can be used to power small machinery as well as structures such as cell towers.

BMW is working on similar technology at its U.S. based plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina. By capturing methane gas at a local landfill, BMW wants to convert the gas to hydrogen fuel to power a new line of automobiles. While hydrogen fueling stations are still difficult to locate in comparison to regular gas stations, prices of hydrogen fuel are somewhat cheaper than the gasoline alternative. For instance, hydrogen gas sells for about $2.25 a kilogram (equivalent to a gallon) in Palm Springs, California compared to an average of about $3.70 a gallon in the same area. Prices on hydrogen powered vehicles are still high though. The Honda FCX Clarity, for instance, can only be leased at a price of $600 a month over three years.

Editors' Recommendations

The Skai is a multipurpose flying car powered by hydrogen fuel cells

Topics

Contributing Editor

By day, I'm the content and social media manager for High-Def Digest, Steve's Digicams and The CheckOut on Ben's Bargains…

Mobile

The 6 best car phone holders in 2024

Belkin BoostCharge Magnetic Wireless Car Charger with an iPhone 14 Pro.

Belkin BoostCharge Magnetic Wireless Car Charger Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Installing a car phone mount in your vehicle is the best way to make sure that you have easy access to your smartphone when behind the wheel. While you shouldn't be using your phone while driving, having it mounted on your windshield, dashboard, vent, or anywhere else will let you take a quick glance when you're using a navigation app, or to change your playlist when you stop for a traffic light, for example. Instead of having to pick up your device, it will be easier and faster to get these done while it's on a car phone mount for less time of having your eyes off the road.

Cars

Should you buy a used EV? Maybe, but it’s complicated

Electric cars are slowly but surely getting cheaper. Over the past year or so, Ford and Tesla have been discounting their most popular electric cars while other brands, like Rivian, are laying the groundwork for all-new cheaper models.

But you'd still be hard-pressed to call electric cars cheap, and buying a completely new car in the first place is a hurdle in and of itself for many potential buyers. According to Statista, used car sales represented around 74% of all car sales in 2022, and while this figure is likely to change as electric cars get cheaper, the fact remains that most car buyers would prefer to save cash and buy used rather than buy something new.
Buying a new car ain't what it used to be
Buying a car with an electric powertrain doesn't necessarily need to be all that different from buying an internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle. But there's a little more to it than that.

Cars

Rivian R2 vs. Ford Mustang Mach-E: Will the R2 be a better buy?

Side of the Rivian R2

The Rivian R2 has finally been announced, and it could end up being the go-to EV for drivers who want a decently affordable electric car with a rugged look and feel. But when it finally launches to the public, it won't be the only option in its price range -- the Ford Mustang Mach-E could be one of its main competitors.

The Mustang Mach-E may not be quite as rugged-feeling as the Rivian R2, but it does have a lot going for it -- like an increasingly low price, sleek design, and comfortable interior. Is one of these EVs better than the other? We put the two head-to-head to find out.
Design
The first thing to note about the two cars is their design, as they’re pretty different. The Rivian R2 is built to be a little more rugged and outdoorsy, while the Mach-E instead has a sleeker and sportier look to it. Both cars look stylish and modern.