CHC Praises Gov. Newsom Signing Bill Making Hydrogen Fueling Faster & Cheaper

SACRAMENTO – The California Hydrogen Coalition (CHC) celebrated Governor Gavin Newsom signing Assembly Bill 2505, a proposal by Assemblymember Juan Carrillo (D-Palmdale) to make it faster and cheaper to build hydrogen fueling stations for heavy-duty trucks across the state. 

“AB 2505 gives new hydrogen fueling stations a clearer, faster path to connecting to the grid. That means more stations, built faster and at lower cost, and more zero-emission trucks on our roads sooner,” said Teresa Cooke, Executive Director of the California Hydrogen Coalition. “We thank Governor Newsom for signing this commonsense fix, which clears away red tape standing between Californians and cleaner air.”

Currently, hydrogen truck stops often can't get a simple direct hookup to the electric grid, even when they're co-located at truck stops or facilities that already have power running to them. Instead, developers are stuck paying for costly workarounds just to get electricity to their site. 

Sponsored by CHC, AB 2505 fixes that by directing utility companies to offer a standard, dedicated connection and meter for hydrogen refueling stations, similar to what other large customers already get. The bill also includes safeguards to make sure the cost of these new connections is handled fairly, so utility customers aren't stuck footing the bill.

Heavy-duty trucks are among the hardest vehicles to electrify, and hydrogen is a key part of California's strategy for cleaning up freight transportation. By removing an unnecessary cost barrier to building fueling infrastructure, AB 2505 helps the state expand its fueling network to support a growing fleet of zero-emission trucks.

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