Despite the predictions of agencies, including California Air Resource Board (CARB), and the fossil fuel companies, that the price of hydrogen will decrease, it has only been increasing. Below are just few of the many articles about hydrogen prices.

• Logistical woes and high pump prices stall California H2 market development, S&P Global, 2024-01-25
• The Rising Tide of Hydrogen Costs in California, Noble6, 2024-05-06
• Few stations and $200 to fill up: Life on California’s ‘Hydrogen Highway’, The Mercury News, 2024-04-04
• Average hydrogen fuel price at pump in US more than four times higher than in Japan and South Korea, HydrogenInsight, 2024-06-05
• California hydrogen pump prices for light-duty vehicles reach new highs, Hydrogen Central, 2024-10-02

From the last article, and the first source, this chart:

Please note that these are prices for any type of hydrogen, which means that it is mostly the price of grey hydrogen, which is generated from fossil fuels and has a higher carbon footprint than direct fossil fuels and battery electric. Green hydrogen, generated from solar energy, has low availability and prices 3x to 3.5x higher than grey hydrogen.

Why is this important. SacRT intends to build a hydrogen fueling station at McClellan, and purchase hydrogen fuel cell electric (FCEV) buses for its northern service area. Though STAR recognizes that hydrogen will be a good solution for some very specific routes that are very long and/or distant from any type of fueling facility, these trends in price argue against any signficant movement to hydrogen for transit.

It has been hard to gather information about the price and environmental impact differential between green (solar or wind power generated hydrogen), blue (fossil fuel or biowaste generated, with some carbon capture) or grey (fossil fuel generated) types of hydrogen, we will present that when we have it.

• fuel cell electric buses
• SacRT