Proton Energy Systems And Airgas Sign Agreement To Market On-Site Hydrogen Generators To Utilities, Others

Airgas, Inc. (NYSE: ARG) has announced a three-year agreement for its regional companies to market and distribute Proton Energy Systems Inc.'s proprietary HOGEN( on-site hydrogen generation systems to customers in the United States. Proton Energy Systems is a subsidiary of Distributed Energy Systems Corp. (NASDAQ: DESC), and is a world leader in on-site hydrogen generators.

"We are very excited about the business relationship and marketing agreement we have established with Proton Energy," said Tom Thoman, vice president - Gases, for Airgas, Inc. "Adding the HOGEN system to the already strong portfolio of industrial gases, specialty gases, process chemicals and equipment that we currently offer to the nation's power utilities and other industries will give us one more way to help our customers nationwide find solutions to their gas needs."

Proton Energy's President Mark Murray added, "We are very pleased to be in partnership with Airgas, whose national scale and strong local presence will bring Proton Energy's on-site hydrogen supply technology to customers across the United States. Our systems improve operating performance, safety, security and economics."

Murray noted that among several uses, hydrogen cools the windings of large power plant generators because of hydrogen's high heat capacity and low density. "HOGEN systems offer significant economic and operational improvements that help reduce windage losses and optimize equipment, resulting in fuel savings, less air pollution, elimination of redundant equipment and extended generator life," said Murray.