FirstElement Fuel (FEF) has urged California to continue its funding of light-duty hydrogen refuelling stations as it warns failure to do so could risk consolidating supply chains for heavy-duty hydrogen mobility.
It comes as the California Energy Commission’s (CEC) draft investment plans under its Clean Transportation Program (CTP) look to narrow its light-duty refuelling investments, focusing more heavily on medium- and heavy-duty operations.
The CTP aims to support the development and deployment of clean transportation technologies and infrastructure to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the state.
Required to spend at least $15m per year through to 2030 for hydrogen infrastructure, the CEC proposes to focus its funding on medium- and heavy-duty stations in 2024-25.
The body has said it might use remaining funds from previous years to build new light-duty hydrogen stations, but added, “depending on market demand and progress…the CEC may also invest these funds towards maintaining existing stations or towards medium- and heavy-duty hydrogen refuelling.”
It has said it is committed to providing “sufficient” hydrogen fuelling infrastructure that will provide “reliable” coverage and capacity to support current and future light-duty passenger vehicles.
The draft plan estimates California currently hosts 61 public light-duty hydrogen fuelling stations, with 58 having funding allocated.
However, the commission notes that inflationary pressures and market uncertainties caused previously hydrogen station funding calls were undersubscribed.
Read more: The rough road ahead of hydrogen refuelling
FEF has warned a lack of funding for light-duty hydrogen fuelling could restrict the formation of supply chains for heavy-duty infrastructure.
“The [light- and medium-duty] market will create the supply chains and economies of scale needed for [heavy-duty] infrastructure.
“We urge the CEC to continue its leadership and support to enable hydrogen and fuel cell vehicles in all vehicle classes by prioritising infrastructure for the vehicles that are already commercially available,” the station developer said.
FEF fuel claims assumptions that medium-duty hydrogen vehicles, such as vans and pick-up trucks, will fuel at heavy-duty-designed stations are unlikely, suggesting that the “more frequent operational behaviour” means the vehicles will fuel at “local neighbourhood fuelling stations.”
It said a report by the US Council for Automotive Research (USCAR) consortium between GM, Ford and Stellantis said the infrastructure needs of medium-duty vehicles were “very similar” to those of light-duty stations but must accommodate larger vehicle tank sizes.
“Additional funding for light-duty hydrogen refuelling stations could reasonably be used to upgrade the awarded stations to make them light-duty/medium-duty compatible,” FEF said.
“We urge the CEC to not abandon the light-duty fuel cell vehicle market.”
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