Air Products and ExxonMobil have launched a new hydrogen plant built in the ExxonMobil refinery in Rotterdam. This new plant will lead to improved energy efficiency by 15% and will reduce CO2 emissions to 200,000 tons per year.”The integration of the hydrogen plant allows us to further connect with our extensive network of pipelines in Rotterdam, from which hydrogen supply many customers in the area, “said Jeff Byrne, Director General of Gas Tonnage and Vice-President of Air Products. Air Products plant uses surplus gas refinery ExxonMobil to produce hydrogen. The refinery employs this hydrogen for desulfurization of petroleum products, and for the manufacture of petrochemicals. The new plant uses the most advanced processes and technologies that allow the production of hydrogen to be much more effective than previous supply of hydrogen to the refinery. The plant also supplies steam to the refinery. “Improving energy efficiency is the best way to reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions,” said Andrew Madden, Director of the ExxonMobil refinery. “With projects like this, refineries can continue to provide petroleum products cost effectively while continuing to reduce its environmental footprint.” Air Products and Technip, the main contractor on the project, began construction of the hydrogen plant in June 2010. It took 450 people to build the plant, who invested approximately 1 million hours each.