Clean Energy Fuels Corp. will build and maintain a hydrogen fueling station for Gold Coast Transit District, marking the Newport Beach-based firm’s latest move into that alternative energy supply.
Clean Energy, best known for supplying renewable natural gas made from dairy farm wastes, has also been working with hydrogen, which provides a limitless supply of energy.
The contract with Gold Coast Transit, which services multiple cities in Ventura County (GCTD), includes a five-year maintenance agreement for a private station that initially will supply five fuel cell buses. The plan is to eventually transition a fleet of approximately 70 vehicles to zero emissions by 2040, according to Clean Energy.
GCTD was awarded $12.1 million by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration to construct a new hydrogen station and purchase hydrogen fuel cell electric buses.
The new hydrogen station is expected to be completed in 2027 and will be located at GCTD’s Oxnard facility.
Hydrogen fuel cells combine hydrogen and oxygen, producing electricity to power a vehicle. Supporters say hydrogen provides a nearly limitless supply of clean fuel.
Clean Energy currently maintains GCTD’s natural gas station and provides renewable natural gas for their fleet of 61 buses.
At press time, Clean Energy traded at $2.15 and a $473 million market cap (Nasdaq: CLNE).
Foothill Hydrogen Station
In an earlier development, Clean Energy Fuels said in late September it was awarded the contract to design, build and maintain a second hydrogen fueling station for Foothill Transit.
The new station will be located at Foothill Transit’s Arcadia bus yard which also serves as a fueling depot for its renewable natural gas (RNG) bus fleet.
An initial order of 19 new hydrogen fuel cell buses is slated to operate out of the site. The $11.3 million design-build project will be partially funded using federal and state grants.
Foothill Transit carries over 11 million customers a year across San Gabriel Valley, Pomona Valley and downtown Los Angeles, with 33 zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell buses operating out of its Pomona station as of September.
Riverside Transit Agency
Clean Energy said a year ago it was awarded the contract to design and construct a new state-of-the-art hydrogen fueling station for the Riverside Transit Agency (RTA).
The contract also includes the supply of hydrogen and maintenance services for the private access, purpose-built station located in Riverside.
Another OC company is also playing a role in the hydrogen fuel sphere.
FirstElement Fuel of Irvine is building a network of hydrogen-fuel stations throughout California and plans to convert more trucks to abundant, environmentally friendly hydrogen.
Renewable natural gas can slash carbon emissions by over 300% compared to diesel, according to Clean Energy’s website. The firm says it’s the largest provider of renewable natural gas for transportation in North America, sourcing fuel from dairy farms nationwide and distributing it through more than 600 fueling stations.
