Eaton to Develop Affordable Home Refueling Station for Natural Gas Vehicles; Project Complements Eaton Advancements in Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

CLEVELAND--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Diversified industrial manufacturer Eaton Corporation announced today it will develop an affordable home refueling station for natural gas vehicles, utilizing existing natural gas sources in the home and innovative compressor technology to deliver the alternative fuel source safely and efficiently to vehicles.

“My hope is that these advanced technologies will enable us to use our abundant domestic supply of natural gas for transportation, diversifying our nation’s fuel and refueling portfolio for the future.”

The effort is funded in part by a $3.4 million grant from the Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E). The goal is to develop a production prototype for refueling stations that will retail for about one tenth of the cost of currently available systems.

The development project will be led by Eaton’s Innovation Center teams in Southfield, Mich., and Milwaukee and the Advanced Hydraulics group in Eden Prairie, Minn. Teams will draw on Eaton’s expertise in hydraulic component and systems design and experience gained through development and installation of thousands of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in public and residential spaces across the country.

“Innovative projects like these have the potential to make natural gas vehicles more affordable and convenient for every American family and revolutionize the way we commute,” said Dane Boysen, Director of the Department of Energy’s Methane Opportunities for Vehicular Energy (MOVE) program. “My hope is that these advanced technologies will enable us to use our abundant domestic supply of natural gas for transportation, diversifying our nation’s fuel and refueling portfolio for the future.”

Eaton will collaborate with the University of Minnesota on thermodynamic analysis and modeling to enable the efficient transfer of heat in the compression process. The refueling system will use liquid, which acts as a piston, to compress natural gas. Innovative heat exchanger technology will improve efficiency and cut cost dramatically.

“With the development of this breakthrough compressor and refueling system, Eaton will remove an important barrier to increased use of natural gas-powered cars and trucks,” said Chris Roche, vice president, Innovation Center, Corporate Technology. “Eaton has a wealth of experience in applying our power management technology to solve the world’s toughest hydraulic, electrical and mechanical problems. This project presents an exciting opportunity to find a safe, efficient and sustainable way to harness a critical alternative fuel source.”

Current natural gas refueling systems cost between $5,000 and $10,000. Eaton expects that its prototype will be available before the end of 2015 with a target production price of $500.

In the hydraulics industry, Eaton is a worldwide leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of a comprehensive line of reliable, high-efficiency hydraulic systems and components for use in mobile and stationary applications, including markets such as agriculture, alternative energy, construction, mining, oil and gas, transportation and more.

Eaton offers a complete line of EV charging stations for residential and industrial application and has a heavy charging presence across North America, with more than 2,000 charging stations already shipped or installed.

Eaton Corporation is a diversified power management company with more than 100 years of experience providing energy-efficient solutions that help our customers effectively manage electrical, hydraulic and mechanical power. With 2011 sales of $16.0 billion, Eaton is a global technology leader in electrical components, systems and services for power quality, distribution and control; hydraulics components, systems and services for industrial and mobile equipment; aerospace fuel, hydraulics and pneumatic systems for commercial and military use; and truck and automotive drivetrain and powertrain systems for performance, fuel economy and safety. Eaton has approximately 72,000 employees and sells products to customers in more than 150 countries. For more information, visit www.eaton.com.