Airgas Gaspro held a blessing today for its new hydrogen production plant in Kapolei, the first such facility in Hawai'i.

The second-generation hydrogen generator, built by H2Gen of Alexandria, Virginia, has the capacity to produce 10 times more hydrogen than Hawaii currently consumes, Gaspro said in a news release

The self-contained unit uses propane and steam to create hydrogen, Gaspro said. The waste products are water and a small amount of carbon dioxide.

"The demand for hydrogen will only continue to grow in Hawaii," said Mark Mahler, Area Vice President.

"Until now, all hydrogen sold in Hawaii had been imported from California. With the commissioning of this unit we are not only investing in Hawai'i's future, we are taking another step towards source of supply reliability and energy independence."

Airgas Gaspro is a major producer and distributor of nitrogen and medical oxygen in Hawai'i. It also operates the only carbon dioxide and dry ice plant in the state.