Increased heat waves, extreme fires, floods and other severe weather events make it clear that despite California’s place as an international leader on climate action, much more is needed. The climate resiliency package currently pending in the state Legislature offers opportunities in a variety of sectors, including transportation, for us to bolster our response to this existential crisis.
Transportation is responsible for a staggering 41% of California’s current greenhouse gas emissions. Whether with cars, trucks or transit, we are in a race against time to combat the impact of these emissions. We must employ every tool at our disposal to make the transition to vehicles that use clean, sustainable fuels.
While significant emphasis has been placed on electric vehicle battery technology and related charging infrastructure across the state, the California clean transportation future needs to include hydrogen fuel cell vehicle technology where it makes sense.
Hydrogen technology makes sense in long-distance trucking and transit — both bus and passenger rail. Just like electric batteries, hydrogen provides energy storage, but with optimal fueling time and energy capacity for long-distance travel. The state has already invested in a number of these vehicles, including hydrogen-powered trucks serving the Port of Oakland, a hydrogen-powered train to serve communities in San Bernardino County and hydrogen-powered buses to serve communities in the Bay Area.
Several transit agencies across the state are already producing their own hydrogen fuel, and others are actively planning to significantly expand on this model. Mega-regional passenger rail systems, such as Valley Link, are preparing for this opportunity by securing 200 acres of environmentally approved parcels to build a green hydrogen facility to provide clean power to commercial trucks, transit buses and a 42-mile passenger rail system that will alleviate the congestion and poor air quality caused by the 100,000 commuters who traverse the Altamont Pass daily.
As the state looks to invest new funding to support the development of hydrogen fuel production, it’s imperative that this investment support California’s clean transportation future through transit agency hydrogen producers. This model of sustainability and self-sufficiency is important, as it inherently connects the hydrogen fuel producer and user with the goal of reducing the cost of transit operations to the public and offsets state and federal subsidies.
Public investments can serve as a catalyst for private investment, accelerating our prospects of meeting the state’s climate goals and helping wean us off petroleum.
It is also important that California focus on the production of green hydrogen using renewable energy sources and leveraging the state’s ongoing investment in solar and wind energy. This will help the state secure funding under the U.S. Department of Energy’s $8 billion program to develop regional clean hydrogen hubs across the country. With Gov. Gavin Newsom’s recent announcement of California’s intention to seek these federal funds to establish an environmentally and economically sustainable hydrogen hub in California, this is an opportunity to use state funding to power California’s clean transportation future and the economy.
With the state spending $18 billion on climate resiliency, including $100 million for hydrogen, we must act now.
State Sen. Susan Talamantes Eggman is a Democrat from Stockton.
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