BOARD MEETING DATE: December 3, 2004
AGENDA NO. 37

California Fuel Cell Partnership Steering Team Meeting

SYNOPSIS:

This report summarizes the California Fuel Cell Partnership Steering Team meeting held October 19-20, 2004.

COMMITTEE:

Technology, November 19, 2004

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Receive and file the attached report.

Cynthia Verdugo-Peralta
SCAQMD Governing Board

Summary of Steering Team Meeting
October 19-20, 2004

CalEPA Building, Coastal Hearing Room
1001 I Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
 

SUMMARY OF AGENDA ITEMS

• This was the last Steering Team meeting chaired by Firoz Rasul, Ballard. Alan Weaverstad, GM, who is currently Vice-Chair, will become Chair in 2005. The Steering Team elected a representative of the energy partners, John Brady, ChevronTexaco, as 2005 Vice-Chair.
• Working Group teams provided status updates. The Interoperability team is working with the W. Sacramento station owners to identify funding to upgrade the CaFCP W. Sacramento station to provide 700 bar hydrogen fueling for potential new fuel cell vehicles that need to use higher pressure fueling and communication filling protocols.
• Cynthia Verdugo-Peralta provided a status report regarding the California Hydrogen Highway network Blueprint team, and asked for feedback from the Steering Team members regarding the Hydrogen Highway Applications Sub-group team on the potential timing and volume of hydrogen fueled vehicles at different stages of development. The scenarios under discussion are not meant to predict the future. The goal is to find positive ways that the state can provide incentives to bring vehicles and hydrogen fueling to California.
• John Wallace provided information regarding automotive and fueling liability issues and how they might affect insurance for hydrogen activities. CaFCP staff and the Working group will develop proposals the CaFCP can take to enhance insurability for discussion at the next Steering team meeting.
• Steve Chalk provided an update on DOE programs and contract awards for hydrogen generation and storage.
• The CaFCP Steering team reviewed the request from ISE to join as an Associate member. ISE was asked to provide more information regarding their specific proposed contributions to the CaFCP. Their request for Associate Membership will be considered at the next Steering team meeting.
• CaFCP members agreed not to publish the Station Test Protocol and Fueling Interface Guide (continue as internal use only). The Interoperability team will define and engage in a process to redraft both documents in order to avoid potential intellectual property issues. In parallel, a Steering team task force will make recommendations for developing next steps regarding intellectual property and joint development issues.
• The Hydrogen Quality Guideline was approved for technical stakeholder release with amendments to sunset the document when standards setting organizations complete their own documents, and add "station owner discretion" to test more frequently if needed. The Interoperability Team will develop and approve the plan for technical stakeholder release.
• The Interoperability team will work with station owners to establish a data management and exchange program for information collected by the Station Testing Apparatus (STA).
• The Hydrogen Quality Sampling Adapter will be installed on the STA and used for testing hydrogen quality at four hydrogen fueling stations in 2005, to provide data for further refinement of the Hydrogen Quality Guideline.
• The Legal agreements will be updated to improve the Confidentiality portion. Management services agreements will be established between industry members and Bevilaqua Knight without Ballard as an intermediary (this is already the structure for government members). A trust agreement will be created to hold funds for industry members, instead of funds being held by Ballard. Conditions and instructions for dispensation of funds will be added.
• The bus data collection and evaluation plan was presented and will be published as a CaFCP resource document (also available through CEC and NREL).
• The following CaFCP Goals for 2005 were approved:
  - Facilitate members placement of fuel cell vehicles and fueling stations
    into fleets in California, including fuel cell buses.
  - Support the implementation of the California Hydrogen Highway
    network.
  - Promote hydrogen fueling station and vehicle interoperability and
    accessibility.
  - Train First Responder trainers in vehicle and fueling demonstration
    communities.
  - Engage in focused community and stakeholder outreach; use as a forum
    to disseminate CaFCP learnings and distribute CaFCP Resource
    documents.
  - Coordinate with other fuel cell vehicle programs worldwide.
  - Maintain and expand CaFCP’s position as a leading information source
    for hydrogen and fuel cell vehicles.
    Detailed program activities will be presented for discussion at the next
    Steering team meeting.
• Based on the desire to carry out the 2005 goals, the Steering team approved adding 4.5 staff members next year.
• Discussions for post-2007 planning will begin in 2005. Preliminary comments from some Steering team members expressed desire for the CaFCP to continue post 2007.
• One organization has submitted evidence of third party certification of their hydrogen fueling nozzles to SAE recommended practice J2600 and may qualify for the CaFCP incentive. CaFCP is reviewing the certification evidence.
• Ballard and Santa Clara VTA provided information about hydrogen related incidents and false alarms. The examples illustrate the importance of developing positive relationships with emergency response officials early and on-going in the process of station development, clear communication between company employees and contractors of varying expertise and emergency response officials and media, and attention to all systems (emergency back-up power, call-out procedures, etc.) that may impact or be affected by hydrogen systems.
• Ztek delivered the reformer unit to PG&E in August for testing prior to installation at San Carlos. Testing at Richmond station is complete, and fueling is again operational.
• Several outreach activities were recently completed including providing a ride-and-drive opportunity at the AQMD Hydrogen conference August 16-17, holding a Community Workshop on September 16 at AQMD which drew 94 attendees, and Cruisin’ Southern California (Road Rally III) from L.A. to San Diego September 17-19. A video of Road Rally III was shown and made available to members.

The next CaFCP Steering Team meeting is scheduled for January 25-26, 2005 in Southern California.

Additional information about the California Fuel Cell Partnership can be found at http://www.fuelcellpartnership.org.

/ / /