The California Energy Commission (CEC) recently committed to awarding $8 million to develop the first hydrogen-truck refueling station at the Port of Long Beach.
The project is a partnership between Toyota Motor North America and Shell Oil Products US.
Funding will be voted on at the next CEC meeting and comes from the agency’s Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program. The program encourages the development of electric and hydrogen infrastructure at distribution centers, warehouses, and ports in the state.
The refueling station is expected to encourage the use of zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks.
“This station will help the hydrogen-fueled freight sector to flourish in California,” Oliver Bishop, Shell hydrogen general manager, said. “Hydrogen offers a promising path for decarbonizing transport, particularly the heavy-duty sector where there are few alternatives to conventional fuel. Shell and Toyota will combine their expertise to deliver an effective alternative fuel for Californian freight.”
The refueling station would be built at the port’s Toyota Logistics Services location and would be used to fuel Toyota’s Project Portal heavy-duty fuel cell concept truck and public fleets. Shell would use hydrogen from Toyota’s Tri-Gen facility which produces hydrogen from bio-gas.
Long Beach is one of the world’s largest freight hubs.