President Rollin Richmond and Schatz Energy Research Center (SERC) Director Peter Lehman will preside at the ceremony at the station site, accompanied by Representative Mike Thompson and Cal Trans District One Director Charlie Fielder. The fueling station is located off Rossow Street, behind the newly refurbished Harry Griffith Hall.

Humboldt State students first conceived of the station in their submission to the National Hydrogen Association’s H2U International Design Competition. SERC engineers designed and built the station with the help of HSU Plant Operations staff. 

HSU’s facility is California’s first rural unit in Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s California “Hydrogen Highway,” a network of such stations that eventually will allow hydrogen-powered vehicles to travel throughout the state as demand intensifies for alternative sources of fuel. Humboldt State’s facility is the northernmost link in the emerging network. It will produce enough hydrogen fuel to maintain a fleet of four hydrogen-powered cars. SERC is pursuing funding and vehicle suppliers to assemble a planned hydrogen car fleet and is seeking to establish a hydrogen infrastructure throughout Humboldt County.

Provided by the California Air Resources Board to promote alternative transportation fuels, the Prius will be shared by Humboldt State and other public agencies that have jointly supported the station project. The car was converted by Quantum Technologies of Irvine, Calif., to run on hydrogen fuel.

SERC has played an historic role in Humboldt State’s decades-old reputation for green technology leadership. It promotes the use of clean and renewable energy and conducts research and development of new technology; designs, builds, operates, and demonstrates clean and renewable energy systems; provides training for professionals; and educates the public about sustainable energy.