FASTECH Builds a Shell HDV Hydrogen Refueling Station in Long Beach, CA

The Shell HDV hydrogen refueling station in Long Beach was the second of three planned HDV refueling stations (the others in Wilmington and Ontario, California) constructed by FASTECH as part of the “Shore to Store” zero-emission trucking infrastructure program.

To accommodate larger vehicles like Class 8 trucks and additional daily fills for smaller passenger vehicles, these heavy-duty vehicle (HDV) sites were designed for higher on-site storage capacity and faster fueling times than their LDV predecessors.

In order to facilitate round-trip trucking from the port to inland destinations, it was imperative to complete all three projects in close succession. The Long Beach project broke ground three months into the Ontario project and two months before starting the Wilmington project. At one point, FASTECH was working on all three Shell HDV sites simultaneously.

In addition to the three Shell HDV hydrogen refueling stations, FASTECH also constructed an LDV hydrogen refueling station right next door to the Long Beach HDV site. To connect the neighboring LDV and HDV stations, FASTECH installed 1,200 feet of special stainless steel piping, pipe coating, and cathodic protection.

Throughout the project, FASTECH encountered various challenges and successfully worked with its partners to find solutions while minimizing the impact on the project schedule and budget.

Equipment Coordination. The Long Beach HDV site, along with its companion sites in Wilmington and Ontario, used NEL’s latest compressors and dispensers in conjunction with Tenaris high-pressure ground storage vessels. Since the equipment and storage vessels were coming directly from Europe, FASTECH had to make ongoing adjustments to the construction schedule to accommodate changes in delivery dates.

Environmental Conditions. The site posed several challenges, including high groundwater levels and areas of contaminated soil. The on-site storage bottles weighed more than 500,000 pounds when fully assembled and required the use of drilled piers. These piers were drilled to a depth of more than 18 feet below grade by applying techniques such as drilling fluid and concrete tremie pipes to place concrete underwater. Contaminated soil was classified and sequestered on-site based on real-time sampling and testing, and was subsequently hauled away to special facilities for proper disposal.

Project Integration. Special care was taken to ensure the future success and integration of the station with the port, the LDV hydrogen refueling station, and the future FuelCell Energy tri-generation power plant. The locations of all improvements were evaluated to ensure that the site would not impede future port roads and rail lines. The site was also “future-proofed” by installing foundations and underground utilities for additional equipment to receive and process the hydrogen gas produced at the upcoming tri-generation power plant.