Launched today, the Western States Hydrogen Alliance (WSHA), has set out with a goal to push forward the rapid deployment of zero emission hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks, buses, locomotives, vessels, aircraft and off-road equipment throughout the targeted states.
Ballard Power Systems, Capacity Trucks, El Dorado National, Golden Gate Zero Emission Marine, Hyundai, Plug Power, and The Protium Company are all founding members of the new group.
In the coming days, the alliance will announce additional members, along with a list of initiatives that it will be spearheading throughout the Western region.
Roxana Bekemohammadi, WSHA Executive Director, said, “Hydrogen fuel cells will power the future of zero emission mobility in these heavy-duty, hard to electrify sectors. That fact is indisputable. This new alliance exists to ensure government and industry can work efficiently together to accelerate the coming of this revolution.”
The alliance is also being supported by an external Advisory Board made up of current elected and appointed officials from the Western US that will help steer the organisation’s policy activities and serve as a bridge between industry and government.
Senator Pat Spearman (D-North Las Vegas), said, “Hydrogen fuel cell electric technology represents a major opportunity to eliminate dirty diesel pollution from some of our most impacted areas.”
“I am honoured to continue serving the people of my district by participating in this new alliance that aims to bring clean, zero emission heavy-duty vehicles to our community in the near-term and bring an end to the public health crisis that diesel pollution represents.”
With a regional focus on the Western US, the Alliance will aim to deploy commercial fuel cell electric vehicles in applications from the Rocky Mountains to the Hawaiian Islands and everywhere in between, focusing first on areas hardest hit by diesel pollution.
Alberto Ayala, Executive Director of the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District, commented, “Hydrogen fuel cell technology may be the only way for us to meet our stated decarbonisation goals in some of the hard-to-electrify sectors WSHA is targeting.”
“I’m happy to serve as a facilitator for the fuel cell industry in my role as an Advisor to WSHA and help them bring zero emission solutions to all communities, especially those hardest hit by historically disparate pollution burdens.”
“In the end, this is about all people partaking in the promise of zero emission transportation and the green economy, but it takes vision, resolve, and coordination as WSHA is attempting to do to get there.”
This article is reproduced at www.h2-view.com
