Green Hydrogen Fueling Station at Port of Chehalis Powers Zero-Emission Buses

It was a crisp, breezy morning on August 28, 2025, when Lewis County Transit and a host of state and local officials grabbed shovels to kick off something truly special: the Port of Chehalis Hydrogen Production & Fueling Station. Nestled at 1697 Bishop Road—alongside those historic rail lines and just off Interstate 5—Chehalis, Washington, is trading in its timber and coal heritage for a bold clean-energy future. Since its founding in 1976, Lewis County Transit has steadily carved out a reputation as a regional trailblazer in low-emission transport. Today, it’s leading the charge on green hydrogen fueling, promising up to 2,000 kilograms of truly green hydrogen every day to power zero-emission buses and municipal fleets. With Governor Jay Inslee’s ambitious targets for public transit decarbonization looming, this station is shaping up to be a blueprint for communities everywhere.

How Green Hydrogen Springs to Life

Instead of trucking in fossil-derived gas, this station leans on electrolytic hydrogen production—splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen right on site. A 150-kilowatt modular electrolyzer sips about 54 kilowatts of renewable juice (mostly wind and solar from nearby farms) and uses just 2.9 gallons of water per kilogram of hydrogen. Once the electrolysis is done, the gas is purified, cranked up to 350–700 bar, and tucked away in high-pressure tanks. Even the local aquifer gets a VIP treatment: advanced filtration safeguards groundwater, marrying technical finesse with environmental care.

Fuel-Cell Buses: The Clean-Mobility Workhorses

The real showstoppers are the hydrogen fuel-cell transit buses. Each one sports a high-performance fuel cell stack teamed with battery buffers to handle power spikes. Fill ’em up, and they can cruise for about 350 miles—far outstripping most battery-electrics—and you’re back on the road in under 10 minutes at the 700-bar dispensers. Inside the stack, hydrogen meets oxygen to generate electricity, and voilà—only water vapor comes out the tailpipe. With seating for 40–50 passengers, these buses are already rolling through Thurston, Lewis, and Snohomish counties. Lewis County Transit swears they’re the most cost-effective, eco-friendly way to scale up zero-emission buses, though industry analysts remind us that full life-cycle cost studies are still in the works. Best part? Maintenance shops only need minor tweaks to keep these buses humming.

Why It Matters for Climate and Communities

• Carbon Savings: Swapping out diesel rigs for fuel-cell buses can cut tailpipe CO₂ and NOₓ emissions almost entirely.
• Air Quality: Zero-emission corridors mean cleaner air for schools, parks, and neighborhoods along busy routes.
• Energy Security: Generating hydrogen locally shields us from oil-price whiplash and global supply hiccups.
• Economic Opportunity: Building out this hydrogen infrastructure sparks jobs in construction, operations, and R&D.
• Regional Leadership: Chehalis is staking its claim as a Pacific Northwest testbed, dovetailing with the emerging PNWH2 Hub and future freight uses.

From Coal Roots to a Green Future

Lewis County’s story is emblematic of a wider regional shift. For decades, the TransAlta Centralia coal plant powered thousands of homes before shutting down in 2020. Instead of letting those dusty railyards and buildings sit idle, local leaders mapped out a renewable-energy renaissance. State laws like Washington’s Clean Energy Transformation Act and federal initiatives such as the Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Hub have poured in both policy and funding. Now, Chehalis is at the forefront of repurposing old timber, rail, and coal corridors into arteries of green hydrogen fueling and distribution. Civic groups and nonprofits—like the Bonneville Environmental Foundation—have been instrumental in steering grants toward projects that deliver both economic uplift and ecological wins.

Who’s Laying the Foundation?

• Lewis County Transit: Under Executive Director Joe Clark, the agency is pioneering Washington’s first hydrogen bus fleet fueled by on-site generation. “This groundbreaking is a watershed moment for clean mobility,” Clark noted.
• Peter Abbarno: The Centralia state representative stressed that legislative support unlocked $7.15 million in state funds.
• Mark Westley: As Board Chair and City Council member, Westley highlighted how local permits and land-use deals fast-tracked site development.
• Washington State Department of Commerce: Chipped in $4.4 million via Capital Legislative Appropriation and another $2.75 million through its Carbon Decarbonization program.
• TransAlta’s Coal Transition Capital Grant: Provided $1.8 million to soften the economic blow from the coal plant closure.
• Bonneville Environmental Foundation: Pooled in $812,400, ensuring robust environmental oversight and grant management.
• Port of Chehalis: Leased 1.8 acres of prime industrial land with seamless rail and highway access.
• EXP: Running feasibility studies on hydrogen uses at Chehalis-Centralia Airport and in freight logistics.

Local Impact and Community Growth

This station is more than just a fueling stop—it’s an economic engine and a community catalyst:

• Job Creation: Roughly 20 construction and commissioning gigs, plus long-term roles in operations, maintenance, and safety.
• Economic Stimulus: Local contracts for site prep, equipment installs, and services funnel millions into Lewis County businesses.
• Environmental Justice: Cleaner air around schools and neighborhoods tackles historic pollution burdens.
• Regional Collaboration: Nearby transit agencies in Thurston, Snohomish, and beyond are already eyeing hydrogen fleets, inspired by Chehalis’s lead.
• Potential Drawbacks: Ongoing public funding and strict hydrogen-storage safety protocols are a must, and some argue battery-electric buses may still hold cost advantages in denser cities.

What’s Next on the Road to Zero-Emission Transit?

With shovels still in the ground, all eyes are on operations. The station is slated to go live in spring 2026, dishing out about 750 kg/day for Lewis County Transit and local fleets, and 1,250 kg/day for regional partners. Beyond buses, stakeholders are exploring hydrogen for aviation—backed by EXP’s feasibility study at Chehalis-Centralia Airport—and heavy-duty freight. Planners are also sketching modular add-on electrolyzers to double capacity within five years as demand climbs. As part of the budding Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Hub, Chehalis could link up a green-energy corridor all the way from Tacoma to Portland along I-5. If it pans out, expect a wave of private investment and a blueprint for hydrogen infrastructure pop-ups across the West Coast—and beyond.

Chehalis’s leap from coal to clean hydrogen really sums up today’s energy transition: bold vision, teamwork across sectors, and smart use of local resources. As the groundbreaking dust settles, it’s clear this station isn’t just fueling buses—it’s powering a promise of zero-emission transit that could reshape our neighborhoods, economies, and climate for generations to come.