Fueling Stations

For hydrogen to be used in the transportation sector, fueling stations will need to be common enough for owners of hydrogen run vehicles to refuel when needed. These fueling stations have different requirements from regular gasoline fueling stations.

Hydrogen fueling stations represent a “chicken or the egg” problem in the creation of the hydrogen economy: no motorists will drive hydrogen cars without stations, and no stations will be built without demand from motorists. The State of California is attempting to jump-start this process by investing $100 million in hydrogen fuel stations that will eventually form a statewide network. While initially the stations will only service government fleet vehicles like those at Los Angeles International Airport, within 5-10 years they may be available to the public.

Hydrogen fueling stations require added safety features beyond those at gasoline fueling stations. For example, it is necessary for a computer on board the hydrogen vehicle to communicate with the fueling station to prevent over-filling or leaks. Similarly, the underground tanks used to store gasoline are susceptible to corrosion and leaking, and so hydrogen fueling stations must have high-pressure storage tanks that are located at or above ground level. 

Source: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2004/10/22/state2047EDT0175.DTL