Sunline Transit Opens A Third Hydrogen Fuel Station
SunLine Transit Agency has opened its first liquid hydrogen fueling station at its main facility on Harry Oliver Trail in Thousand Palms.
Since 2008, SunLine Transit has been operating hydrogen powered vehicles and the new liquid station is the third hydrogen fueling facility it has constructed to power its fleet. The first two stations involved the active production of gaseous hydrogen through steam methane reforming) and through an electrolyzer.
But with this new liquid hydrogen facility, SunLine is taking a different approach.
It has contracted with Nikkiso, an Escondido-based company, to vaporize liquid hydrogen to power 32 hydrogen fuel cell buses.
The station is equipped with three dispensers, one of which is accessible to the public, making it the first hydrogen station serving the Coachella Valley especially for someone driving a hydrogen-powered vehicle from Los Angeles to Phoenix.
The addition of the liquid station to SunLine’s fueling infrastructure adds resiliency to the Agency’s hydrogen program, which is critical for ensuring continuity of operation and minimizing service disruptions as hydrogen fueling technology continues to develop and mature. It is SunLine’s current plan to maintain existing equipment from the SMR and electrolyzer stations to serve as “back-up” fueling solutions in the event that the liquid station becomes unavailable.
The SunLine Liquid Hydrogen Fueling Station project is a $9.1 million collaborative effort to support SunLine’s fleet of 32 buses. This project is pivotal in advancing zero-emission transportation in southern California, providing a clean, efficient and reliable fueling source for public transit and private vehicles in the Coachella Valley.
The liquid hydrogen station received funding from multiple sources:
- $4.98 million from the California Energy Commission’s (CEC) Clean Transportation Program
- $3.5 million from the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Low and No Emission Funding
- Additional contributions from State Transit Assistance funding
Three local companies were also involved in building the project:: Willcorp Engineering in Palm Desert, Doug Wall Construction in Bermuda Dunes, and Mascorro Concrete Construction in Thousand Palms.
Hydrogen Fuel Station at Sunline Transit Agency in Thousand Palms CA Oct 11th 2024
Photo from Sunline Transit Agency and Andrea Carter and Associates La Quinta CA