California’s hydrogen refueling network continues to face a challenging period, with ongoing supply disruptions and infrastructure constraints affecting station availability statewide. Here’s a detailed look at the current status and key developments over the past month.
Current Station Status
As of early April, there are 31 hydrogen refueling stations operational across California. However, a significant portion of the network remains affected by supply-related issues:
- 4 stations are currently unavailable due to standard operational factors
- 21 additional stations are offline because of a broader gaseous hydrogen (GH2) supply disruption
With the GH2 supply disruption and other mechanical issues, the station network has been operating with an uptime just above 40% in March.
Gaseous Hydrogen Supply Disruption
A major challenge to the nascent hydrogen fueling network occurred on February 24, when an incident happened in Colton, CA, involving a high-pressure gaseous hydrogen trailer. An investigation is underway with limited public information available at this time.
In response to the incident, high-pressure GH2 trailers have been grounded from filling operations. This has caused supply shortages and outages at most GH2 stations. The root cause analysis is ongoing, and stakeholders have indicated that this may be a long-term investigation. Returning to safe operations is the top priority.
Liquid Hydrogen Supply Challenges
In addition to GH2 constraints, the network is experiencing a liquid hydrogen (LH2) supply disruption that began on April 2, as reported by True Zero. As a result:
- On April 2, True Zero, high-capacity LH2-dependent stations had gone offline. As of April 9, these stations are gradually coming back online as liquid hydrogen deliveries resume.
- True Zero is providing updates on their station page listings (m.h2fcp.org) as deliveries are confirmed.
Not all operators are equally affected. Iwatani continues to receive LH2 supply without interruption, suggesting variability in sourcing and supply chain resilience across the network.
Looking Ahead
The California hydrogen network is currently navigating overlapping challenges in both GH2 and LH2 supply chains. The Colton incident has introduced longer-term uncertainty around trailer operations, while the more recent LH2 disruption appears to be temporary but still impactful.
Key factors to watch in the coming weeks include:
- Industry efforts to diversify the midstream, high-pressure GH2 trailer fleet so deliveries can resume.
- Confirmation of LH2 supply chain restoration and station recovery timelines.
Until these issues are resolved, station availability is likely to remain inconsistent, as the stations that remain open will experience demand far above normal, underscoring the need for continued infrastructure investment and supply chain resilience in California’s hydrogen ecosystem.