IEEE Electrification Magazine - March 2018 - 41

that a switch to an fCeV is a viable alternative for their
transportation needs.
accordingly, the reporting requirements of aB 8 include
annual analysis surveys of auto manufacturer deployment
plans to help determine likely markets for the early adoption of fCeVs. Progress on the deployment of vehicles and
the development of funded stations is also reported in
semiannual intervals. reports like these allow for transparency in the latest information available and help plan
future hydrogen fueling station funding. They also provide
a public venue for open comment and discussion and are
a springboard for discussions in public-private partnerships to better understand the needs of both the hydrogen
fueling and fCeV industries.
since the hydrogen and fCeV markets are in their early
stages of development, there have been many shifts in
technology focus, market development strategies, and
planning priorities. Plans generated and espoused at one
phase of development were appropriate in the context of several contemporaneous factors; however, as
various forces pushing toward
fCeV and hydrogen commercialization have adjusted, so have the necessary planning tools and actions.
These have, at times, been interpreted as earlier-stage goals that
simply did not come to fruition,
indicating a failure of technology,
policy, or even resolve in the comSacramento Area:
mitment to hydrogen-powered
One Open
Two In Development
personal transport. yet these are
often misunderstandings of evolvNorth Bay Area:
ing situations. actions in more
Four Open
Seven In Development
recent deployment phases have
indeed replaced prior plans, but it is
precisely because the progress
South Bay Area:
made in earlier phases spurred new
Four Open
Seven In Development
opportunities and improved an
understanding of market needs. In
moments like these, adjustments
are necessary to maintain progress.

The understanding at the time was that the limited
number of demonstration-era stations would need to
enable hydrogen transportation within localized clusters
of stations built around major markets. enabling interregional travel so drivers could take advantage of the longrange capability expected of fCeVs was also required. In
addition, there was an emphasis on phasing in fCeVs,
beginning with fleet applications as the first 100 stations
were built and eventually introducing the vehicles for
private ownership and driving. The California hydrogen
highway program (2004 -2008) was envisioned as more of
a proving ground for various fueling station technologies
and for energy park strategies. This allowed the industry
an opportunity to test several technology solutions for
hydrogen fueling and identify the most promising candidates for future mass-market expansion. While several of
these goals were accomplished, not all concepts have
been pursued beyond the demonstration phase.

Truckee:
One Open

Santa Nella:
One In Development
Coalinga:
One Open

Santa Barbara:
One Open

Shifting Strategies to Capitalize
on Progress
There have been several efforts
through the years to define a structured strategy and to construct a
hydrogen fueling station network
throughout the state (figure 3).
during governor arnold schwarzenegger's administration, the concept called Hydrogen Highway was
deemed most likely to meet the
needs of fCeVs based on demonstration-era understanding.

Los Angeles Area:
11 Open
11 In Development

Orange County Area:
Seven Open
Four In Development

San Diego Area:
One Open
One In Development

Service Layer Credits: Esri, HERE, DeLorme, MapmyIndia,
© OpenStreetMap Contributors, and the GIS User Community
Figure 3. The status of California's network of fueling stations as of 1 November 2017. (Image
courtesy of Andrew Martinez.)

IEEE Electrific ation Magazine / ma r c h 201 8

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE Electrification Magazine - March 2018