California’s hydrogen refueling network to gain much-need support from Air Products

Air Products plans to expand permanent, commercial hydrogen stations across the state.

The Pennsylvania-based, world-leading industrial chemicals company and supplier of liquid hydrogen and compressed hydrogen gas announced it intends to expand California’s hydrogen refueling network. Its plan is to build a network of commercial-scale multi-modal hydrogen refueling stations to connect northern and southern California.  

The H2 stations will service both trucks and cars.

The state-of-the-art muti-modal hydrogen refueling stations from Air Products are set to deliver enhanced fueling technology capability with multiple fueling dispensers. They will reportedly be capable of fueling up to 200 heavy-duty trucks or 2,000 light-duty vehicles daily.

Specifically, the hydrogen refueling network that will span California from north to south is designed to serve heavy-duty vehicles, including commercial and municipal trucks and buses, and light-duty hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.

“These stations will be a key driver to help California on its road to a zero-emissions transportation future,” said Alison Hawkins, Air Products General Manager – Hydrogen for Mobility Americas, in a company news release.

Air Products has contributed to California’s hydrogen refueling network for years.

The company isn’t a newcomer to California’s budding hydrogen economy. A long-time innovator in H2 for transportation, Air Products supplied hydrogen to the nation’s first pipeline-fed hydrogen refueling station in Torrance, California back in 2011, via the company’s California pipeline network. Currently, it also operates six hydrogen stations in Southern California.

California Governor Gavin Newsom’s senior advisor, Dee Dee Myers, believes that Air Products commitment to building a hydrogen refueling network supplied with clean hydrogen are “steps on the path” to reach California’s end goal of eliminating dependance on diesel in its transportation sector. Myers, who is also the Director of GO-Biz and founding ARCHES Board Member, stated that “Infrastructure is the key to unlocking our nation’s hydrogen future.”

Air Products’ hydrogen fueling stations focus extends beyond California.

The company, which is the largest supplier of hydrogen worldwide, has operating experience that extends across the globe. It has more than 250 hydrogen fueling station projects in 20 countries and its H2 tech is used in more than 1.5 million fueling operations every year.

Beyond its current hydrogen refueling network plans for California, Air Products plans to build a network of its multi-modal H2 stations to connect Canadian cities Edmonton and Calgary, in the province of Alberta.