The National Fuel Cell Research Center (NFCRC) at the University of California, Irvine has announced that 2017 was a record year for its hydrogen fueling station, with the amount of hydrogen dispensed into fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) more than doubling that of 2016.
Specifically, the research center says a total of 48,599 kg of hydrogen was dispensed at the station last year, compared to the 23,909 kg in 2016. Although two hydrogen fuel cell electric buses refueled at the station, the majority of the increase was from light-duty FCEVs, such as the Toyota Mirai, Honda Clarity, and Hyundai Tucson, the center notes.
The hydrogen station, established and operated by the NFCRC, was initially commissioned in 2003. In 2007, it became the first dual-pressure station operating in the U.S. with public access for FCEV fueling. Capacity has been expanded twice, with a third expansion in the planning stages. The station is regularly used by Toyota, Honda, and Hyundai fuel cell vehicle drivers, as well as by UCI Anteater Express and the Orange County Transit Authority, each of which has a zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell electric bus in its fleet.
“As a leader in the wide-ranging efforts to support the transition to a hydrogen economy and zero-emission transportation, the NFCRC has been at the forefront of both mobile and stationary fuel cell development and deployment. It is gratifying to reach this important milestone, and we look forward to establishing a new record in 2018,” says Professor Scott Samuelsen, director of the NFCRC.
The research center says it continues to work with its global and domestic industry partners and government agencies to enable the market for fuel cell electric cars, trucks, buses, and locomotives.
