1661397 - Planning for Hydrogen Fueling Infrastructure

“Hydrogen can store and deliver clean energy for many uses across U.S. economic sectors, including transportation. It has the potential to significantly reduce air pollution in the form of greenhouse gases from trucks, buses, planes, and ships. Greenhouse gases trap heat and contribute to climate change, and the transportation sector is responsible for 29% of these emissions.” (DOE report) It is essential to carefully plan for hydrogen fueling infrastructure to match planned supply and demand which is absolutely critical for reducing total cost of ownership and ensuring fuel reliability. CTE has developed a Hydrogen Infrastructure Planning Methodology to determine the most appropriate solution to fuel a fleet of fuel cell vehicles. This methodology supports operators that are planning to deploy hydrogen fueling infrastructure to guide a demonstration or a transition to fuel cell vehicles. The approach is rooted in a structured design method that considers and ranks all feasible options based on capital cost, operating cost, emissions reductions, performance, and risk. These plans place a heavy emphasis on characterizing fuel demand, along with fleet goals and constraints, and carefully matching supply options. This presentation will follow a case study for Kitsap Transit Agency (KT), which is headquartered in Bremerton, WA. KT solicited proposals for a feasibility study for their West Bremerton Transit Center. The agency is in the early stages of determining the feasibility of building a hydrogen fueling station at this location. KT commissioned CTE to evaluate the viability of a hydrogen fuel station including production and storage methods, capital and operating cost estimates, zoning considerations, fuel system and fuel supply vendors, environmental impacts, safety, and other factors for consideration. Over the course of five months, CTE has conducted a comprehensive hydrogen fueling infrastructure feasibility assessment for KTA. The final report contains information summarizing KT’s projected service, FCEB fleet procurement schedule, hydrogen fuel demand over time, various fueling options, site conceptual drawings, a projected station build and commission schedule, an estimated total cost of ownership and potential for reducing emissions. Most data and assumptions are based on CTE's experience with fuel cell vehicle and hydrogen fueling station deployments and procurements. The real-world data is supplemented by modeling and simulation tools and industry supplier input. The recommendations for both the infrastructure approach and scale up are rooted in the following factors: diesel vehicle retirement schedule, availability of hydrogen, both current and projected, operator goals, fleet operations and duty cycle characteristics, current costs - hydrogen, utilities, and equipment, state of the technology for both vehicles and infrastructure equipment, operator learning and growth with the technology, flexibility and risk management, resilience to change and preparation for growth. The analysis presented in this feasibility assessment is based on the current state of the industry. There are several factors that impact the assumptions and operators should closely monitor major changes in the hydrogen market. The conference presentation will highlight the feasibility study methodology along with applicable lessons learned and best practices for hydrogen infrastructure development in the southeast region.