Hydrogen refueling stations are sprouting in the Southland

California's South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) is spending $4M to convert 30-35 Priuses to run as hydrogen (internal combustion, not fuel cell)-electric hybrids

In June, 2006, The City of Santa Monica dedicated the region’s fifth municipal hydrogen fueling station along with five hydrogen-powered Priuses to help hasten the day when its residents and those throughout the region can drive virtually zero-emission vehicles.

Santa Monica is one of a group of five Southern California cities placing themselves ahead of the curve in meeting future energy needs and cleaner air standards. The other cities participating are Burbank, Ontario, Riverside and Santa Ana. For the next five years, each city and AQMD will operate the Priuses, which have been specially modified to burn gaseous hydrogen.

The hydrogen-fueled, internal-combustion engine vehicles are considered a near-term bridge to longer-term future technologies including fuel cell vehicles, which emit only water vapor. Near-zero emission vehicles including those powered by fuel cells are considered a key strategy to clean up smog in Southern California, which has some of the most severely polluted air in the nation.

The five cities program is aimed at stimulating demand for hydrogen fueling, accelerating the expansion of the region’s hydrogen fueling network, and educating the public on hydrogen-fueled vehicles.

The total cost for the project is more than $7 million, including:
• A contract awarded by AQMD to Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide, Inc. of Irvine to design, convert, test, certify and maintain the hydrogen Priuses;
• Contracts awarded by AQMD to Air Products and Chemicals Inc., headquartered in Allentown, Penn., to design, install and demonstrate hydrogen fueling stations at the five cities and provide continuing maintenance services. As part of the Santa Monica station, Air Products contracted with Proton Energy Systems Inc. of Wallingford, Conn., to supply the station’s electrolyzer;
• Purchase of 30 Priuses, paid for by individual cities and AQMD; and
• Preparation of cities’ fueling sites, paid for by cities.

Each hydrogen-fueled Prius has a compressed-gas fuel cylinder that holds up to 1.6 kilograms of hydrogen, giving the vehicles a range of up to 80 miles per fill. (One kilogram of hydrogen is roughly equivalent to the energy content of one gallon of gasoline.)

The Priuses meet the state of California’s strict Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle standard for smog-forming nitrogen oxides, and unlike their gasoline-fueled counterparts, they have no carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide or hydrocarbon emissions.

The five cities’ hydrogen fueling sites add to a growing network of hydrogen stations in the Southland. Three other stations -- at AQMD headquarters in Diamond Bar, LAX and Sunline Transit Agency in Thousand Palms -- now are operational. An additional two stations, at UC Irvine and in Torrance, are expected to be completed by the end of the year. All 10 stations will provide hydrogen for fuel cell and internal combustion engine vehicles.