Clean Energy Fuels Corp., a provider of clean fuel for the transportation market, has won a competitive solicitation to design, construct and maintain a hydrogen station and supply liquid hydrogen fuel for Foothill Transit, an environmentally friendly bus service in Southern California that averages 14 million rides a year.
“Being awarded our first hydrogen station and supply contract for Foothill Transit is very important to Clean Energy because it demonstrates our ability to move to different alternative fuels as our customers expand to other technologies,” says Andrew J. Littlefair, president and CEO of Clean Energy. “Transit agencies like Foothill have been on the forefront of alternative fuels for decades because it’s in their DNA to serve their communities with clean transportation. Clean Energy has enjoyed being along for the ride with Foothill as it tackles air quality and greenhouse gas issues.”
Foothill Transit has been a 20-year partner with Clean Energy and is currently operating over 300 of their buses with renewable natural gas (RNG) at two stations built by Clean Energy. The agency is now entrusting Clean Energy to build its first hydrogen station in Pomona, Calif, as it expands into another clean alternative fuel. The contract is valued at more than $13 million.
The project will be funded using assistance from the Federal Transportation Agency. Foothill Transit has placed an initial order for 20 fuel cell buses, and the station is designed to support many more.
“Our new hydrogen fuel cell fleet is the next step in our evolution towards a zero emissions future,” states Doran Barnes, CEO of Foothill Transit. “Our long-time partner, Clean Energy, has been providing low carbon RNG for our buses for years and we look forward to continuing to work with them as we expand into hydrogen fuel cell technology and fuel.”
In response to the solicitation, five proposals were submitted to Foothill Transit. Following interviews and an evaluation, Clean Energy was selected, receiving the highest technical and overall score.
Partnering in the station construction project are Fiedler Group, which will provide engineering design support as a subcontractor for Clean Energy, and Messer Group, which will provide hydrogen equipment, liquid hydrogen fuel and station design under the Clean Energy contract.
Clean Energy’s construction contractor for the project is Nicosia Contracting International, a company Clean Energy has worked with for nearly two decades.