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[Richard230]

A link in the Hydrogen Highway is being built across from Alice's Restaurant in the Santa Cruz Mountains, south of San Francisco. What a monumental boondoggle!  I have heard that there are just a few H2 cars in all of California and I believe all of those are production prototypes being tested by the auto manufacturers.  I am pretty sure that none are privately owned at this time. 

However, should anyone in the SF Bay Area buy an H2-powered auto, they can always drive up into the mountains to find a filling station, which is being built at great expense by some government agency using taxpayer funds. (Who else would fund something like this?) This complex has been under construction all summer long and is now reaching the point where some of the equipment is being installed.  Attached are photos that I took today and I will post updates as the construction continues until the project is complete and the security fencing is removed. All that equipment just to supply one filling outlet.  I have my doubts if I will ever be able to post a hydrogen-powered car filling up at this out-of-the-way station, but if I ever see one, I will let you know.   

Here is a photo of the filling pump.

[Richard230]

And here is a photo of the H2 storage tanks.

[Doug S]

...I believe all of those are production prototypes being tested by the auto manufacturers.  I am pretty sure that none are privately owned at this time.

I thought you could lease a Toyota Mirai, but not buy one outright? Though it seems to me I also read that they're screening potential lessees pretty carefully, and of course they won't lease one to you unless you live near one of the areas where H2 is already available.

[Richard230]

...I believe all of those are production prototypes being tested by the auto manufacturers.  I am pretty sure that none are privately owned at this time.

I thought you could lease a Toyota Mirai, but not buy one outright? Though it seems to me I also read that they're screening potential lessees pretty carefully, and of course they won't lease one to you unless you live near one of the areas where H2 is already available.

You are probably right.  Vehicle manufacturers testing new technology prefer leasing to selling outright.  Just in case something goes wrong and they have to mash up a few of the early vehicles when they get a reputation of exploding while being driven.   

[Richard230]

Construction of the H2 station continues.    This week they seem to be building a very sturdy, heavily-reinforced, two-story concrete structure, which leads me to believe that the plan is to actually manufacture hydrogen at this facility. Attached are photos showing the reinforcing and some more equipment. I noted that workmen were working on the building today. Since this is a Sunday and they must be getting double-time wages, I suspect that there is likely a hard deadline for completion of the facility. This has got to be a government-financed project. 

[Richard230]

Here is another view of the building reinforcing steel.  My friend thinks the two boxes at the lower left of the picture are the equipment that will crack water to make H2.  (I have no idea if that is true.)

[Richard230]

Here is the electrical panel for the facility.  It looks pretty heavy-duty to me.   

[Alan Stewart]

Construction of the H2 station continues.    This week they seem to be building a very sturdy, heavily-reinforced, two-story concrete structure, which leads me to believe that the plan is to actually manufacture hydrogen at this facility. Attached are photos showing the reinforcing and some more equipment. I noted that workmen were working on the building today. Since this is a Sunday and they must be getting double-time wages, I suspect that there is likely a hard deadline for completion of the facility. This has got to be a government-financed project. 

I think hydrogen is stored at extremely high pressure in the storage tank and is the reason for the heavy structure. It then has to be stepped down to a pressure that a automobile tank can handle. I would guess also the delivery truck pressure is less than the storage tank pressure so must be compressed to top off the storage tank. That heavy duty equipment is probably what does all the pressurizing and depressurizing. But I know just enough to be dangerous.

[WoadRaider]

For 6k you can convert any petroleum powered vehicle into a water powered. Although that runs on water, not H2.
http://www.stanmeyersparkplug.com/

http://watersparkplugs.com/


I need to add that I thought they were for sale but I did not find the page/distributor so there is a chance that this is all a scam.

[Richard230]

The Hydrogen Highway keeps on trucking.  It sure looks like a production plant to me.  They now have posted a sign warning of the dangers of Hydrogen. 

[Richard230]

Here is a link to some interesting and informative information regarding Hydrogen-fueled cars:
https://www.edmunds.com/fuel-economy/8-things-you-need-to-know-about-hydrogen-fuel-cell-cars.html

And here is a link to the locations of H2 stations in California:
http://cafcp.org/stationmap

This description is for the hydrogen station being built across from Alice's Restaurant, at the intersection of State highways 35 and 84: Woodside, 17287 Skyline Boulevard, Woodside, CA 94062:

Station Type: Retail - In development
Development Status: Commissioning
Expected to Open: March 2017
Hydrogen Source: Gaseous H2 Delivery
Station Customer Service: (604) 904-0412

[Erasmo]

Oh dear, just think of all the DC quick charge stations you could have built for that price...

[Delnari]

I'm really not a fan of the hydrogen fuel cells for passenger cars / light trucks.  To much weight and real estate for such small vehicles.  I do like them being made for larger trucks and even RV's.  Will keep an eye on how this technology as it gets developed moving forward.

[Richard230]

Here is the latest Hydrogen Highway news:  The H2 fueling station was supposed to be opened on March 17, but nothing has happened there since last year, other than a security fence blew down, providing a clearer picture of the station's complexity.  It is a mystery to me what all of these pipes and gauges do - or are going to do some day.  Perhaps they are not in any hurry to open the station as there are really no H2-powered vehicles to fuel up and they are waiting until someone buys one near enough to use the station. 

[Richard230]

Here is the latest information regarding the H2 station in Woodside, CA, at the Sky Londa center, across from Alice's Restaurant.  The information is already out of date as the station is still closed, is fenced off and nothing has been done in the way of finishing the station since last November.  What a boondoggle.   
https://www.almanacnews.com/news/2017/04/14/woodside-hydrogen-fuel-cell-station-set-to-open-in-may-or-june