Hydrogen Fueling Station Evaluation

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) may not enforce any element of regulations that would require a supplier to construct, operate, or provide funding to construct or operate a publicly available hydrogen fueling station.

Annually, CARB must aggregate and share the number of hydrogen vehicles that manufacturers project will be sold or leased over the next three years and the total number of hydrogen vehicle registered in the state. Based on this information, CARB must evaluate the need for additional publicly available hydrogen fueling stations for the subsequent three years and report findings to the California Energy Commission (CEC) including the of number of stations, geographic areas where stations are needed, and minimum operating standards, such as number of dispensers and filling pressures.

The CEC will allocate no less than 15% of the moneys appropriated by the Legislature from the Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Fund per year to fund the number of stations deemed necessary based on CARB’s evaluation and reports. The CEC may stop funding new stations if it determines, in consultation with CARB, that the private sector is developing publicly available stations without the need for government support.

The CEC and CARB must issue an annual report on progress toward establishing a hydrogen fueling station network that meets the needs of vehicles being used in the state. CARB may also design grants, incentives, loan programs, and other forms of financial assistance to assist in program implementation. For more information see CARB’s Hydrogen Fueling Infrastructure website and the CEC and CARB Joint Agency Report on Assembly Bill 8.

(Reference California Health and Safety Code 43018.9)