Trillium has completed construction of the largest hydrogen transit refueling station in North America. The Santa Ana, California hydrogen station, which went live Friday, was jointly developed by Trillium, Air Products, the Center for Transportation and the Environment (CTE), Ballard Fuel Systems and New Flyer.

Houston-based Trillium is a leading provider of renewable fuels and alternative energy solutions for fleets around the country.

The hydrogen station, built to fuel Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) buses, will fill up a transit bus in six to 10 minutes, similar to diesel or CNG bus filling rates, making this the only zero-emission fuel choice that allows fleets to operate as usual. Currently 10 buses are equipped for hydrogen, but the station allows the fleet to grow to 50 with only minimal additional capital costs.

Air Products provided enabling equipment and will deliver liquid hydrogen fuel. New Flyer provided the fuel cell electric buses and Ballard provided the hydrogen fuel cell electric technology that powers the buses.

Trillium and Air Products will operate and maintain the station. Trillium also operates and maintains the OCTA’s compressed natural gas (CNG) station that it built in 2007—meaning Trillium now operates both types of OCTA’s alternative fueling stations. Trillium is the only transportation infrastructure provider that provides systems for both the CNG market and the zero-emissions market.

CTE, a nonprofit that advocates for clean, sustainable, innovative transportation and energy technologies, managed the administration of the project, particularly as it related to the funds secured through California Climate Investments, a statewide initiative that uses cap-and-trade dollars to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, strengthen the economy and improve public health and the environment.