ITM Power (LON:ITM), the energy storage and clean fuel company, has achieved operational status for its Riverside, California hydrogen fuelling station in record time.
This is the first electrolyser-based station to achieve this status under the California Energy Commissions (CEC) 2014 funding programme for hydrogen fuelling stations, ITM revealed.
The station achieved this status in less than 11 weeks from the issuance of the local permit, reportedly the shortest time taken to instal and commission an on-site hydrogen generation fuelling station.
The next phase in the project will see ITM Power confirm station operation with fuel cell vehicle original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and qualify the station with the division of measurement standards in order to be able to sell fuel to the public; the station will then become officially open in the eyes of the state of California.
Achieving the operational status on time is significant as it ensures that ITM Power is eligible to receive the full US$2.13mln grant amount earmarked through the CEC's PON-13-607 “Hydrogen Refuelling Infrastructure” programme, together with the maximum US$300,000 operation and maintenance fund allowance over a three year period.
The State of California has an official schedule of funding and investment that will support many more stations being deployed, ITM reported, and this is expected to continue on an annual basis to support the California Hydrogen Infrastructure Road Map and the commercialisation of fuel cell electric vehicles. To date 54 stations are either built or under construction in California.
“This project is significant as it represents the fastest station build to date in California. The project clearly demonstrates our capability to deploy successful projects in California and the rest of United States,” said Stephen Jones, managing director of ITM Power Inc.