The California Energy Commission has given its approval to bring the state closer to its 200 locations goal.

The California Energy Commission has awarded grants totaling $5.78 million for two hydrogen fueling station projects that will help the goal to make leaps forward toward its goal of 200 filling locations.

The nearly $6 million in grant funding was awarded to First Element Fuel and Air Products and Chemicals.

The two projects will bring another six hydrogen fueling station locations to the state, according to Jane Berner, a California Energy Commission air pollution specialist with the fuels and transportation division of the commission. Berner spoke on the topic at a commission meeting on August 9.

“This solicitation sought projects that would provide new fueling points for fuel cell electric vehicles to further out transportation decarbonization goals,” said Berner.

The solicitation to which Berner referred was issued in October 2022 through California Budget Act of 2021-2022 funding. It was intended as support for projects that will offer publicly available hydrogen fueling station locations to enhance the continued growth of fuel cell vehicle use in the state.

Existing hydrogen fueling station locations in California have been increasing H2 availability.

“There’s actually been an increase in the amount of hydrogen that these stations are now delivering,” said Commissioner Patricia Monahan. “It’s because trucks need them in order to meet California’s increasingly stronger requirements around zero-emission transportation.”