California Investing Nearly $50 Million in Hydrogen Refueling Stations

Accelerates construction of 28 new stations and one mobile refueler to boost statewide public network

SACRAMENTO May 1, 2014- The California Energy Commission [http://www.energy.ca.gov] today announced it will invest $46.6 million to accelerate the development of publicly accessible hydrogen refueling stations in California in order to promote a consumer market for zero-emission fuel cell vehicles.

The recommended funding awards to eight different applicants were made through the Energy Commission's Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program (ARFVTP) [http://www.energy.ca.gov/drive/]. The recommended awards include six 100 percent renewable hydrogen refueling stations and will add 13 new locations in Northern California and 15 in Southern California, strategically located to create a refueling network along major corridors and in regional centers. The mobile refueler will provide added reliability to the early hydrogen refueling network to provide refueling capability when stations are off-line.

"Transitioning to low- and zero-emission vehicles is critical to meeting air quality goals and to reducing the emissions that lead to climate change," said Energy Commissioner Janea A. Scott [http://www.energy.ca.gov/commissioners/scott.html]. "With this funding, California will accelerate the construction of a reliable and affordable refueling infrastructure to support the commercial market launch of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles."

The recommended awards will advance Gov. Brown's executive order [http://gov.ca.gov/news.php?id=17472] directing state government to support and facilitate the rapid commercialization of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) in California, with a benchmark that by 2020 "the State's zero-emission vehicle infrastructure will be able to support up to one million vehicles."

Today's recommended awards will add 28 new stations to 9 existing and the 17 stations currently under development. These 54 hydrogen refueling stations represent significant progress towards meeting California's goal of establishing a 100-station network to support the full commercialization of fuel cell vehicles in California.

Award recipients:

- Air Liquide Industrial US LP will receive $2,125,000 to construct a 100% renewable hydrogen refueling station in Palo Alto.

- FirstElement Fuel, Inc. will receive $2,902,000 to construct two 100 percent renewable refueling stations in Los Angeles, and $24,667,000 for 17 stations in Campbell, Coalinga, Costa Mesa, Hayward, Laguna Niguel, Lake Forest, La Canada Flintridge, Long Beach, Mill Valley, San Diego, San Jose, Santa Barbara, Saratoga, South Pasadena, South San Francisco, Redwood City and Truckee.

- HyGen Industries, LLC will receive $5,306,814 to construct three 100 percent renewable hydrogen refueling stations in Orange, Pacific Palisades and Rohnert Park.

- Institute of Gas Technology will receive $999,677 for a mobile refueling unit.

- ITM Power, Inc. will receive $2,125,000 to construct a station in Riverside.

- Linde LLC will receive $4,250,000 to construct stations in Oakland and San Ramon.

- Hydrogen Technology & Energy Corporation (HTEC) will receive $2,125,000 to construct a station in Woodside.

- Ontario CNG Station Inc. will receive $2,125,000 to construct a station in Ontario.

Demonstrating California's commitment to the successful establishment of a viable hydrogen fueling infrastructure supporting the rollout of fuel cell vehicles, the Energy Commission announced the funding opportunity, Hydrogen Refueling Infrastructure (PON-13-607) [http://www.energy.ca.gov/contracts/transportation.html], on November 22, 2013. Numerous public workshops were conducted along with a survey of interested stakeholders to develop the most successful hydrogen solicitation to date, which generated 140 applications requesting more than $130 million for station construction and operating and maintenance support. Applicants were scored on set criteria, including team qualifications, market viability, project readiness, project implementation, project budget, economic benefits, hydrogen refueling station performance, mobile refueler performance, innovation, and sustainability.

To date, the ARFVTP has invested more than $400 million in at least 260 alternative fuel, infrastructure, and vehicle technology projects. The Legislature's reauthorization of the ARFVTP in 2013 continues the State's annual program investments of up to $100 million, and dedicates up to $20 million of this amount to the installation of hydrogen refueling infrastructure. Funding is derived from surcharges on vehicle and boat registrations, and smog check and license plate fees.

Fuel cell vehicles are zero-emission, using hydrogen to fuel a car and producing only water vapor and heat in the process. Hydrogen sold through refueling stations funded by the Energy Commission must be 33 percent renewable. Renewable hydrogen can be produced using biomethane from biomass or landfills, or from water electrolysis using renewable energy sources such as wind or solar power. The Energy Commission has concluded that a fuel cell vehicle using 33 percent renewable hydrogen can be as clean for the environment as an electric vehicle, resulting in greenhouse gas reductions of about 68 percent compared to gasoline powered vehicles. Greater environmental benefits can be achieved as the amount of renewable hydrogen content increases. Comparable to gasoline-powered vehicles, fuel cell vehicles can be refueled within 5-7 minutes and have a range of 300+ miles on a single tank.

The California Energy Commission is the state's primary energy policy and planning agency. Created by the Legislature in 1974 and located in Sacramento, six basic responsibilities guide the Energy Commission as it sets state energy policy: forecasting future energy needs; licensing thermal power plants 50 megawatts or larger; promoting energy efficiency and conservation by setting the state's appliance and building efficiency standards; supporting public interest energy research that advances energy science and technology through research, development, and demonstration programs; developing renewable energy resources and alternative renewable energy technologies for buildings, industry and transportation; planning for and directing state response to energy emergencies.

News Release provided by:

Nancy Hassman

California Energy Commission

Web Team