SB 501: Retail hydrogen refueling stations: reliability and service quality plan.

The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 establishes the State Air Resources Board as the state agency responsible for monitoring and regulating sources emitting greenhouse gases. The act authorizes the state board to include the use of market-based compliance mechanisms. Pursuant to the act, the state board has adopted the Low-Carbon Fuel Standard regulations.

Existing law requires the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission, in partnership with the state board and in consultation with other state agencies, as specified, to develop and adopt a state plan to increase the use of alternative transportation fuels, which includes hydrogen. Existing law requires the energy commission, in consultation with the state board and the Public Utilities Commission, to prepare a statewide assessment of the fuel cell electric vehicle fueling infrastructure and fuel production needed to support the adoption of zero-emission vehicles, as specified.

This bill would require the energy commission to develop a plan for improving reliability, service quality, and operational uptime of retail hydrogen fueling stations, would require specified metrics for measuring reliability, and would require the use of a public workshop process to develop the measures. The bill would require a retail hydrogen refueling stations station operator to maintain a publicly available online customer feedback portal, post and prominently display the online internet website address for the feedback portal at the operators retail hydrogen refueling station in a place clearly visible to a customer during refueling, and refueling. The bill would disqualify a retail hydrogen refueling station operator from receiving a publicly funded grants grant if it the operator fails to comply. The bill would require the energy commission to convene a public workshop process to create additional feedback portal requirements. develop mechanisms to improve consumer access to information about the status of a retail hydrogen refueling stations ability to meet refueling demands and recommend ways a consumer can provide feedback on service concerns at a retail hydrogen refueling station.