Exploring Hyrdorgen Fuel Cell Vehicles With Catherine Dunwoody, Part II

This is part II of a three part interview with Catherine Dunwoody, executive director of the California Fuel Cell Partnership (CaFCP). Here Catherine talks about retail-ready stations, bringing Dr. Andreas Truckenbrodt on board, and CaFCP's four partnership categories.

ROBERT GLUCK:  In a recent press release you said, "The most important next step is to build retail-ready stations. Today just a few publicly accessible hydrogen stations are serving a handful of customers, and stations being developed now will enable more customers to fuel. Expanding the retail-ready network in 2011 will prepare California to move from hundreds of fuel cell vehicles to thousands over the next few years."

How is CaFCP working with its members and partners to build retail-ready stations? Is there any resistance to building them? If so, from whom?

CATHERINE DUNWOODY:  It is important to know where and when to build retail-ready. However, if CaFCP simply said, “Put one on this corner and another one on that corner,” we could be on the slippery slope of antitrust laws. Our role is to provide realistic information to all parties and allow them to draw their own conclusions.

Each December, our automaker members provide confidential survey information about their future fuel cell vehicle (FCV) deployment plans. CaFCP makes the aggregate information available to government agencies, national labs, universities and industry. They use that information to build models, offer funding or apply for funding.

This year, CaFCP’s automakers also created a definition of a “showcase station.” Using feedback from the hundreds of real-world FCV drivers, automakers called out features that customers do and do not want in hydrogen stations. CaFCP made this definition publically available and the California Energy Commission referred to it in their current hydrogen station solicitation.

Resistance to hydrogen stations comes from two areas, both of which always surprise us. On one hand there are the people who are advocates of other fuels and technologies. CaFCP’s members all work on a variety of vehicles and fuels, and believe that we need a portfolio approach that includes fuel cells, batteries, advanced biofuels and more efficient combustion engines. We’re constantly surprised by people who take a position that one of these four is a “winner,” especially because these technologies are all in their infancies.

On the other hand are the people who are not aware of hydrogen’s excellent safety record and are concerned about a hydrogen station near their home or work. Once they learn that hydrogen is as safe as other fuels, and the amount of hydrogen at a station is a fraction of the amount of gasoline, they usually see the benefits of cleaner air and new jobs that hydrogen brings.

RG:  On January 20, 2010 CaFCP announced that Dr. Andreas Truckenbrodt, Chief Executive Officer, Automotive Fuel Cell Cooperation, was appointed 2010 Steering Team Chair. The CaFCP Steering Team chair position changes every year, rotating through the four categories of partners: auto manufacturers, energy providers, fuel cell technology companies and government agencies. What does Dr. Truckenbrodt bring to the table?

CD:  Andreas has a background in commercializing automotive technology. His professional track record with DaimlerChrysler, Ballard Power Systems, Daewoo and BMW shows that he knows what it takes to turn ideas into products. In addition, Andreas has a keen eye for business, is adept at building consensus and runs his meetings on time and with a sense of humor. As a German working for a Canadian company, Andreas also brings an international perspective to CaFCP activities.

RG:  Briefly tell our readers what is going on in each of CaFCP's four partnership categories (auto manufacturers, energy providers, fuel cell technology companies, government agencies).

CD:  Automakers are building and deploying hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Several have announced commercialization dates and have their pre-production vehicles in customers' hands for the final rounds of road testing. The energy companies put the first hydrogen stations in the ground, paving the way for developing standards, codes, permitting regulations, new technology, safety guidelines and insurance requirements.

Fuel cell technology companies bring technical expertise and information from automotives and other types of fuel cell deployments, such as forklifts and stationary power. Government agencies bring information about policy, regulation, programs and funding opportunities.

Each segment learns from and shares with the others. In a simple example, the Department of Energy sets performance targets for fuel cell vehicles and hydrogen. Industry shares the performance data with DOE to determine progress toward the target.

Image credit: California Fuel Cell Partnership

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