GHG Emissions, Commercial, Sourcing Renewables  -  October 18, 2024

SunLine Transit Agency Deploys Hydrogen Fuel

SunLine Transit Agency announced the opening of a new liquid-hydrogen-based fueling station in Thousand Palms, California. 

The hydrogen station can fuel SunLine Transit’s current fleet of 32 hydrogen fuel cell buses — and that number will grow as more of SunLines’s fleet transitions to zero emissions. The transit fueling station represents a significant expansion of California’s hydrogen infrastructure, bringing a cleaner, more efficient fueling solution to the region.

SunLine Transit Agency partnered with Nikkiso Clean Energy & Industrial Gases (CE&IG) Group for the project.

Nikkiso’s hydrogen fueling stations provide 24/7 fueling capability to help keep SunLine’s buses in the Coachella Valley region on schedule. The facility’s high-performance, dual-hose dispensers meet H35 and H70 fueling protocols and can fuel a bus in less than 10 minutes. The station is also capable of unlimited back-to-back fueling.

“As the only public transportation provider in the Coachella Valley region, we are committed to bringing zero-emission transportation to the three million passengers we serve annually,” said Mona Babauta, CEO/General Manager at SunLine Transit Agency, in a statement. “This station represents a significant milestone on our journey to convert our entire fleet to hydrogen fuel cell buses for the benefit of our customers, our community, and the planet.”

SunLine Transit plans to open a third dual-hose dispensing unit for public use in the next few weeks, making clean hydrogen fuel accessible to private and commercial vehicles in the region and driving further adoption of low-carbon technologies. The station’s strategic position between Los Angeles and Phoenix lends itself to long-distance routes, allowing cars and long-haul trucks and buses traveling through the region to expand their current range.