Cal State L.A. hydrogen station becomes first in California to be certified to sell fuel to the public
The facility is helping the state become a national leader in zero emission vehicles
Los Angeles—The Cal State L.A. Hydrogen Research and Fueling Facility has become the first station in California to be certified to sell fuel to the public.
The facility recently passed a rigorous state performance evaluation and can now begin selling hydrogen by the kilogram to drivers of fuel cell vehicles.
“This is a milestone in the commercialization of hydrogen in preparation for the next generation of electric vehicles that will be powered by hydrogen,” said Michael Dray, technical operations manager at the fueling facility. “It’s equivalent to getting the first sticker from the state government to sell gasoline by the gallon.”
Governor Jerry Brown’s office informed the university on January 8 that the fueling facility had received the certification, known as California Type Approval. The state is leading the effort to develop such facilities and has allocated $200 million during the next decade to further the construction of a hydrogen-fueling network across California.
The Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) said the hydrogen station’s certification “demonstrates that close coordination between government and industry can enable a seamless and fair consumer experience for this critical technology.”
“GO-Biz commends the entire team at Cal State L.A. for their work to advance the commercial success of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles,” said Tyson Eckerle, zero emission vehicle infrastructure project manager for GO-Biz.
Opened last May, the fueling station at Cal State L.A. is the largest such facility on a university campus in the United States and produces hydrogen on site. The station is capable of using renewable sources such as solar and wind power for hydrogen production.
