Trailer blast probe leaves California hydrogen refuelling network constrained

California’s gaseous hydrogen shortages are expected to drag on as investigations continue into the cause of a fatal trailer explosion, which has seen many refuelling stations left without supply.

Trade group the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Partnership (H2FCP) said a “significant portion” of the state’s hydrogen refuelling network remained affected by supply-related issues, with station uptime in March reaching “just above” 40%.

The shortages come after a compressed hydrogen trailer exploded in the City of Colton in San Bernardino County, killing one person and injuring another.

H2FCP confirmed gaseous hydrogen trailers have been “grounded” from filling operations while an investigation gets underway.

“This has caused supply shortages and outages at most gaseous hydrogen stations,” it said.

The type of trailer involved in the incident remains unconfirmed, with limited public information about the investigation available. After safety incidents, hydrogen trailers are typically withdrawn from service across operators while manufacturers investigate the cause.

“Stakeholders have indicated that this may be a long-term investigation,” H2FCP said. “Returning to safe operations is the top priority.”

In parallel with the gaseous disruption, some stations supplied with liquid hydrogen reported disruption at the start of April. However, this is impacting only some stations.

According to H2FCP’s station monitoring service, 15 stations are now online – most of the liquid supplied – up from a low of at the beginning of April.

With more stations in the state relying on gaseous delivery, H2FCP said the shortages underscored the need for industry efforts to diversify midstream supply chains.

“The Colton incident has introduced longer-term uncertainty around trailer operations,” it said.