Fiedler Group News
California’s Ambitious Plan for a Hydrogen-Powered Future Unveiled by Governor Newsom
August 30th, 2023 by Fiedler Group
In a significant move towards a cleaner and more sustainable future, Governor Gavin Newsom has unveiled a groundbreaking strategy to establish California as a leader in the hydrogen economy. The Governor has tasked the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) with the development of the California Hydrogen Market Development Strategy. This comprehensive approach aims to cultivate a robust market for clean and renewable hydrogen, echoing the successful model of the Zero-Emission Vehicle Market Development Strategy. The goal is to propel California towards a future characterized by zero-emission benefits that positively impact all residents.
Governor Newsom emphasized the state’s commitment to embracing clean, renewable hydrogen as a pivotal element in the quest to reduce pollution and power the forthcoming generations.
The directive to expand the market for clean, renewable hydrogen is imperative for California’s climate objectives. This initiative will be instrumental in achieving ambitious milestones, including a clean electric grid, net-zero carbon emissions, and substantial reductions in air pollution. Furthermore, California is currently in competition to secure federal funding as a designated Hydrogen Hub. This initiative, bolstered by $8 billion from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, seeks to establish multiple Hydrogen Hubs throughout the United States.
The California Hydrogen Market Development Strategy will encompass the following initiatives: Accelerating Clean Energy Deployment, Building on Existing Foundations, Collaborative Governance, Project Delivery Strategies, Inclusive Engagement, and Coordinated Efforts. This innovative strategy builds upon Governor Newsom’s previous executive order, which established an Infrastructure Strike Team to streamline projects across the state. The Hydrogen Strategy emerges as a result of collaborative efforts from the Infrastructure Strike Team’s hydrogen, clean energy, transportation, and zero-emission vehicle workgroups.
Fiedler Group continues to be a leader in hydrogen fueling station design and engineering, as well as navigating even the most difficult entitlement and permitting processes. To learn more about how Fiedler Group can support you, please visit our website, or contact us here.
Application Window Opens for Golden State Priority Project
September 13, 2023 – November 17, 2023
Bringing DC Fast Charger Rebates to Northern and Southern California Regions
August 23rd, 2023 by Fiedler Group
Effective September 13, 2023, the California Energy Commission (CEC) is allocating $38 million dollar rebate funding through The Golden State Priority Project (GSPP) facilitating the acquisition and installation of eligible direct current (DC) fast chargers.
Eligible candidates have the potential to receive rebates up to 50% of the total approved costs of their projects capping at $100,000 per charging port. To qualify, sites are required to deploy a minimum of four (4) and up to twenty (20) GSPP-eligible charging ports. Funding opportunities target sites located within disadvantaged community (DAC) or low-income community (LIC) census tracts.
Applicants must demonstrate, at a minimum, that they have submitted the necessary documentation to their utility service provider for final utility design and have applied for a permit with their local authority having jurisdiction (AHJ). The tiered application process prioritizes projects that are prepared for implementation, referred to as “shovel-ready” projects.
Fiedler Group has extensive experience providing site civil design, system integration and permitting services for EV projects throughout California. Having worked with EVgo, the nation’s largest public electric (EV) fast charging network, as well as others, Fiedler Group expertly navigates regulations and requirements to ready projects for system integration and installation.
To learn more about Fiedler Group and how we can support you in your EV solutions, please visit our website, or contact us here.
Fiedler Group Supports Iwatani’s Roll-Out Of Hydrogen Fueling Stations Despite Covid
April 28th, 2023 by Fiedler Group
Fiedler Group was contracted by Iwatani Corporation of America (ICA) to perform the multi-site program known as Futurity. Fiedler Group services included both Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) and Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) services for six (6) light duty hydrogen fueling facilities in existing retail petroleum stations located in Anaheim, Corona, Hawaiian Gardens, La Mirada, Santa Ana, and Seal Beach, California. Despite the processing delays experienced during the time of Covid, Fiedler Group had all project sites designed, permitted and constructed in record time. ICA selected NEL Hydrogen to supply the integrated hydrogen fueling system for the program.
As the Engineer of Record for the Futurity Program, Fiedler Group provided design expertise and technical oversight on each project. FEED services included delivering preliminary conceptual designs to ensure site viability; entitlement processing with the completion of Site Investigation Reports to evaluate capability and capacity for site development as well as barriers to execution; and engineering and design sets for permitting and AHJ review. Furthermore, Fiedler Group provided continuous construction management support during the design phase to ensure constructability and expediency during construction. Fiedler Group selected Fastech for the construction of all six locations.
HAWAIIAN GARDENS
The first of six projects to be completed for ICA was co-located at an existing 76 gas station. The site at 11807 E. Carson Street, Hawaiian Gardens, CA was enhanced with a hydrogen fueling station that included two fuel dispensers supported by an equipment compound holding the storage and compression equipment required to operate the dispensers.
Fiedler Group saved our client a significant amount of costs by presenting to the AHJ options to eliminate design requirements for additional water lines and service. The initial requirement included an irrigation water meter for the planned landscape area. However, Fiedler Group designed the Landscape Water Efficiency Plan to intercept the water line on the private property and use the existing meter for both irrigation and domestic service.
Construction of the hydrogen fueling facility was completed on October 22, 2021, with an approximate construction duration of 4 months.
SEAL BEACH
The second Futurity project to be completed for ICA was co-located at an existing 76 gas station. The site at 13980 Seal Beach Blvd. Seal Beach, CA was enhanced with a hydrogen fueling station that included two fuel dispensers supported by an equipment compound holding the storage and compression equipment required to operate the dispensers.
This project was another Fiedler First, as we were given the opportunity to design and construct the first hydrogen station in the City of Seal Beach. Fiedler Group’s extensive experience in bringing new fueling solutions to cities allowed us to anticipate the jurisdiction’s concerns and resolve them to facilitate entitlement and permit processing.
One of the challenges presented involved the restrictions against modifying the existing canopy. Fiedler Group’s solution was to design and construct a canopy “spanner” which provided the client the opportunity to showcase their logo and hydrogen branding.
Construction of the project was completed on February 17, 2022, with an approximate duration of 6 months.
ANAHEIM
The third Futurity project to be completed for ICA was co-located at an existing Mobil gas station. The site at 1100 N. Euclid Street. Anaheim, CA was enhanced with a hydrogen fueling station that included two fuel dispensers supported by an equipment compound holding the storage and compression equipment required to operate the dispensers.
One of the challenges Fiedler Group overcame on this project was the management of stakeholders to energize the site. This process was a milestone in the construction of these sites and required careful coordination. Fiedler Group collaborated with all parties to have the site energized after normal working hours, thereby ensuring that the project schedule was not impacted.
The Anaheim project was completed on April 15, 2022, with an approximate construction duration of 5 months.
CORONA
The fourth Futurity project to be completed for ICA was co-located at an existing Mobil gas station. The site at 616 Paseo Grande, Corona, CA was enhanced with a hydrogen fueling station that included two fuel dispensers supported by an equipment compound holding the storage and compression equipment required to operate the dispensers.
The Corona site had several unique obstacles. During the Preliminary Phase, Fiedler Group discovered that the site had various conflicting and outdated recorded property lines that impacted the constructability within the proposed location of the equipment compound and canopy. Fiedler Group was retained to ensure that a Lot Line Adjustment was granted. A Lot Line Adjustment is an extensive process that involves altering the property lines of existing parcels of land. Fiedler Group successfully obtained a Certificate of Compliance granting the adjustment that included the merging of a Lot that had been acquired by the City via annexation from the County. In addition, we successfully obtained a release of an existing but unused utility easement on the property returning 74 feet of land to the site owner, while also providing a third access point to the site, and clean Title to the property.
The hydrogen fueling facility was completed on June 24, 2022, with an approximate construction duration of 5 months.
SANTA ANA
The fifth Futurity project to be completed for ICA was co-located at an existing Shell gas station. The site at 2120 E. McFadden Ave. Santa Ana, CA was enhanced with a hydrogen fueling station that included two fuel dispensers supported by an equipment compound holding the storage and compression equipment required to operate the dispensers.
Fiedler Group was able to reduce the entitlement and permitting schedule significantly by preemptively communicating with the City’s Planning Department to address any concerns and expedite an administrative review of the proposed project. Fiedler Group facilitated the extensive negotiation process to have easement documents modified and accepted by SCE, the site owner, and the neighboring property owner for the installation of new electrical equipment, as well as acceptance of transformer use on a neighboring property.
Once preconstruction issues were mitigated, the site was completed on July 7, 2022, with an approximate construction duration of 5 months.
LA MIRADA
The sixth Futurity project to be completed for ICA was co-located at an existing ARCO gas station. The site at 13550 S. Beach Blvd., La Mirada, CA was enhanced with a hydrogen fueling station that included two fuel dispensers supported by an equipment compound holding the storage and compression equipment required to operate the dispensers.
This site had one of the most interesting utility challenges we have had the opportunity to resolve to date. During the Preliminary Phase of the project a few challenges were discovered: (1) the existing gas station’s electrical transformer also served power to the neighboring Fire Station, (2) the existing gas station and the Fire Station were in two different jurisdictions, and (3) the same city that owned the Fire Station also owned an easement on the gas station property that conflicted with the proposed location of the equipment compound. The primary obstacle to the project was that, regardless of the solution, the Fire Station could not be without power for any amount of time. Therefore, after extensive research and negotiation with relevant stakeholders, Fiedler Group successfully resolved to have SCE provide the Fire Station with independent power lines and transformer.
The La Mirada project site was completed on December 21, 2022, with an approximate construction duration of 7 months.
To learn more about Fiedler Group and the services we provide, please contact us today.
FIEDLER GROUP MARKS 65TH YEAR WITH GROWTH AND EXPANSION
December 13th, 2022 by Fiedler Group
As landmark anniversaries go, 65 years is significant. It’s not often that companies can claim such an accomplishment. Never satisfied with mainstream status quo, Fiedler Group has spent the last 65 years in a state of growth and renewal building upon the premise of Fiedler-firsts in both design and innovation. Always working to stay ahead of the curve, Fiedler Group has built its reputation by ushering in new designs, pivoting services to meet expanding customer needs, and navigating challenging projects across the nation.
Since celebrating our 60th anniversary 5 years ago, Fiedler Group has witnessed tremendous growth in the alternative energies field, taking on programs and projects from some of the world’s largest and most respected Fortune 100. From Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) stations to Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) Heavy Duty Vehicle (HDV) fueling, state-of-the-art Electric EV Charging and Heavy-Duty Vehicle (HDV) and Light Duty Vehicle (LDV) Hydrogen fueling facilities, Fiedler Group has helped to usher in the next age of fuel offerings for both commercial and public clientele.
Below is a small sampling of projects showing the progression of alternative fuels technology over the last 5 years and how Fiedler Group has been involved.
2017 – Champagne-Urbana Project
Fiedler Group was proud to participate in the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District (MTD) project to construct a state-of-the-art hydrogen production, storage and fueling station to power hydrogen fuel-cell buses. Trillium contracted with Fiedler Group to design and engineer upgrades to MTD’s facilities with classified electrical, mechanical, and heating systems in accordance with NFPA2 standards with the permanent station producing hydrogen using electrolysis.
MTD operates a fleet of approximately sixteen 60-foot articulated buses, five 30-foot buses, and ninety 40-foot transit buses in the cities of Champaign and Urbana, the Village of Savoy, and on the University of Illinois campus. With successful completion of this project, MTD became the first transit system in the country to operate 60-foot articulated buses powered by hydrogen fuel cells.
2018 – First Hydrogen Facility for Freight and Port of Long Beach, Shell/Toyota
As part of the Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program, the California Energy Commission (CEC) awarded $8 million in a joint venture between Toyota and Equilon Enterprises LLC, doing business as Shell Oil Products US to develop the first hydrogen-truck refueling station at the Port of Long Beach. The program was created to aid in the development of hydrogen and electric infrastructure at ports, warehousing, and distribution centers in California, as well as encourage the use of zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks in and around Long Beach, one of the world’s largest freight hubs.
Fiedler Group provided the Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) as well as the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) for the first of its kind, hydrogen HDV fueling facility at the Port of Long Beach.
Furthermore, Fiedler Group participated with Toyota in a “live-testing” project for short-haul, zero-emission truck prototypes transporting shipping containers between the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach and several freight depots up to 70 miles away.
With the successful completion of this project, Toyota became the first major automaker to enter the fuel cell market for Class 8 vehicles. The Toyota North America team said it decided to focus on a heavy rig truck to some extent because the vehicle could best demonstrate the fuel cell technology while contributing to cleaner air in heavily polluted Southern California.
Fiedler Group was responsible for the site screening, due diligence, site adaptation design and system integration, permitting, project management, and construction management for hydrogen fueling facilities throughout California and in Florida.
2019 – EVgo Project
EVgo and the City of Sacramento celebrated California’s first-ever curbside high-powered charging plaza for electric vehicles. EVgo, the nation’s largest public electric vehicle (EV) fast charging network, joined with the City of Sacramento to celebrate the public opening of California’s first-ever curbside high-powered charging plaza for electric vehicles at Southside Park. Fiedler Group was responsible for the site civil and electrical design, system integration and permitting.
2019 – Citrus Heights Hydrogen Shell Station
In 2019, Fiedler Group was team member with the California Fuel Cell Partnership and Shell Oil® working in partnership with the California Energy Commission, for a seven-station development program in Northern California.
These first-of-their-kind stations brought the latest in Hydrogen Fueling Technology to excited owners of Fuel Cell powered vehicles in the Sacramento and Bay areas. The first of these stations to open to the public was located in Citrus Heights. Fiedler Group provided due diligence, entitlement, design, engineering, obtained permits and construction management for this facility in only twelve months, eight months ahead of schedule.
This Sacramento area project represented the fifth facility that Fiedler Group designed, permitted, and managed construction for Shell. Featuring two fully independent Hydrogen fuel dispensers, this facility was designed to fuel passenger vehicles with some of the most advanced technology available today.
2020 – San Francisco’s First Hydrogen Stations
Fiedler Group designed, permitted, and managed construction of 3 stations offering 100% renewable hydrogen from biogas for Shell Oil as part of a California Energy Commission and California Fuel Cell Partnership.
Equipment and critical technology were provided by NEL Hydrogen® and construction of the new hydrogen fuel station on Harrison Street was provided by Fastech Inc. California and construction of the 3rd Street and Mission Street stations were provided by NCI, LLC. Each location was constructed with two fully independent hydrogen fuel dispensers that can fuel passenger vehicles with some of the most advanced technology available today.
2020 – Iwatani Futurity Projects
Fiedler Group was contracted by Iwatani Corporation of America to perform the multi-site program, Futurity. Fiedler Group services included both FEED and EPC services for six (6) light duty hydrogen fueling facilities located in Anaheim, Corona, Hawaiian Gardens, La Mirada, Santa Ana, and Seal Beach, California. All project sites were designed and constructed at existing retail petroleum stations.
As the Engineer of Record for the Futurity Program, Fiedler Group provided design expertise and technical oversight on each project. Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) services included providing preliminary Conceptual Designs to ensure site viability; Entitlement processing including the completion of Site Investigation Reports (SIR) to evaluate capability and capacity for site development as well as barriers to execution; engineering and design sets for permitting and AHJ review; and construction management services, ensuring all sites were constructed to plan.
2020 – So Cal Gas Open New Heavy Duty CNG Fueling Station
In March of 2020, The Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) opened a new Heavy-Duty Vehicle Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) fueling station in Bakersfield, California. Fiedler Group provided the architectural, civil, structural, fuel, and electrical design required for the Heavy-Duty Vehicle Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) fueling facility and the gasoline/diesel fleet fueling installation.
The new fueling facility was the fifteenth public SoCalGas-operated CNG fueling station to open to the public and exclusively offering renewable natural gas (RNG). RNG is a sustainable fuel made from methane that would otherwise be emitted from landfills, dairy farms, and other waste sources.
2021 – OCTAs Hydrogen Fueling Station Rollout
The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) debuted 10 new hydrogen fuel cell buses as well as the nation’s largest fueling station located in Santa Ana, CA. The deployment not only demonstrated the technology capable of reducing greenhouse gas emissions but bolstered the push for upgrading current facilities to meet the growing demand of hydrogen-fueled vehicles.
The Center for Transportation and the Environment (CTE), specializing in the development of zero-emission solutions, organized and managed all phases of the innovative project, including the design and production of 10 buses, construction of a high-capacity fueling station capable of servicing up to 50 buses per day, and the upgrade of OCTA facilities to work safely on hydrogen-fueled vehicles.
Fiedler Group was a proud member of the ground-breaking project and was responsible for designing and engineering the upgrades to OCTA maintenance facilities that service hydrogen-powered vehicles. Fiedler Group’s experience in this new and evolving industry has allowed the firm to provide design, permitting, and entitlement services for the development and state-of-the-art construction of alternative fuel facilities as well as to navigate complex regulations and hurdles often associated with this new technology.
2022 – Shell Compressed Natural Gas, Carson
Fiedler Group’s design completion led way to construction of the Shell Renewable Compressed Natural Gas Fueling Site in Carson, California.
Fiedler Group was contracted to provide design, permitting and engineering services for the CNG dispensing station at the existing ethanol loading facility to enable the conversion of seven delivery trucks from diesel fuel to renewable CNG fuel. The CNG dispensing station includes three CNG dispensers, a 20-foot-tall canopy over the dispensers, and a CNG system compound with two compressors, one dryer, and three CNG storage tanks. Furthermore, the CNG facility will be supported by a new 3,200-foot-long natural gas pipeline located on the property.
2022 – Shell Neptune Program
Shell Oil contracted with Fiedler Group for an 18-month program to design and permit a minimum of 15 hydrogen project sites located throughout California. Tasked with completing preliminary, feasibility, and design services, Fiedler Group is working with both Shell and local authorities to add hydrogen services to existing traditional fuel stations or new build sites.
We’ve Come A Long Way…
Fiedler Group’s success is not only credited to the talented staff contributing to each of its projects, but also to the vision of founder Fred Stanton Fiedler. After serving in World War II, Fred went to work for the Union Oil Company of California where he managed the retail construction and engineering department for more than eleven years, completing more than 800 service fuel stations across the Western United States. After Union Oil reached its refinery capacity and no more service stations were commissioned, Fred founded the engineering company that would eventually become Fiedler Group – Fred Fiedler & Associates (FF&A).
In 2002, after working side by side with his father for 20 years, Patrick Fiedler purchased FF&A and in 2004, the firm rebranded itself as Fiedler Group to reflect the growing breadth of engineering and multi-dimensional design services offered.
Patrick Fiedler, Sr. pictured at opening ceremony of first Shell Hydrogen Fuel Station.
Since inception, FF&A/Fiedler Group has worked alongside our clients designing and engineering innovative concepts into reality. As a leader in fuel station design, Fiedler Group has enabled major petroleum companies to pivot to their customers’ changing needs with the introduction and shifting of full-service to self-service fueling operations, the spear-heading of service solutions to clean air initiatives, answering the call for greater convenience, and the push for alternate fuel design including methanol, compressed natural gas, liquefied natural gas, and hydrogen. Through it all, consumer expectations have been placed in the forefront, and progress pursued.
A great deal has changed within the petrochemical and automotive industries over the decades, but Fiedler Group has remained consistent in its vision: we are dedicated to innovation in engineering and design, and we will continue to evolve along with our client’s needs.
65th Anniversary Week of Events
Fiedler Group marked its 65-Year Anniversary with a full week of corporate events culminating in a celebration at the Castle Green venue located in Pasadena, California.
Founded on the three tenants of Valuing People, Delivering Quality Projects, and Providing Superior Customer Service, Fiedler Group kicked-off the week with team member trainings on the Anatomy of a Project, highlighting key services required to successfully deliver quality projects to our clients.
The week also included various team building events, from joining forces to escape a post-apocalyptic bunker to engaging in friendly teamwork competitions to build and donate military care packages to service members overseas.
Fiedler Group is extremely grateful for the success it has achieved over the last 65 years. We have been privileged to work with interesting clients on leading-edge projects and look to a promising future ahead!
Patrick Fiedler, Sr. pictured with several Fiedler Group alumnae. Former colleagues, forever friends.
To learn more about Fiedler Group services and projects, please visit www.fiedlergroup.com.
Big Gulp®! 7-Eleven, Inc. Poised to Continue Its “Legacy of Innovation” with the Purchase of Speedway Convenience Stores
May 19th, 2021 by Fiedler Group
7-Eleven, Inc. recently announced the close of successful negotiations with Marathon Petroleum Corp. for the purchase of 3,800 Speedway stores located throughout North America.
Read the rest of this entry »Fiedler Group Opens Branch Office in Ohio and Welcomes John G. Dzwonczyk, PE, CFPS as Manager and Principal
March 5th, 2021 by Fiedler Group
Fiedler Group is pleased to announce the opening of a second office location in Avon Lake, Ohio, and the appointment of John G. Dzwonczyk as Manager and Principal Civil Engineer for the new location.
Mr. Dzwonczyk holds a master’s degree in Civil Engineering and is a Registered Professional Engineer in over 40 states. Formerly the President of JGD Associates, Inc., since 1995, Mr. Dzwonczyk has diverse experience in innovative fuel station design and will bolster Fiedler Group’s 60-year business working on service station, petroleum handling and site development projects.
Celebrating Fiedler Group’s 60th Anniversary
May 1st, 2017 by Fiedler Group
2017 marks Fiedler Group’s 60th year anniversary. Over the past six decades, Fiedler Group has seen remarkable changes in the service and engineering industry, while continually implementing innovative solutions to remain on the cutting edge. Read the rest of this entry »
Sonic Drive-In, Menifee
August 2nd, 2016 by Fiedler Group
Fiedler Group is excited to announce the opening of a new Sonic Drive-In in the City of Menifee, California. Read the rest of this entry »
Fiedler Group’s Matthew Epstein Elected President of AIA’s San Fernando Valley Chapter
March 1st, 2016 by Fiedler Group
Matthew Epstein — Fiedler Group’s Director of Architecture — has been elected to the role of President of the American Institutes of Architecture (AIA), San Fernando Valley Chapter. Read the rest of this entry »
Patrick Fiedler Speaks to AIA on Commercial Site Design Regulations
October 6th, 2015 by Fiedler Group
On September 9th, Fiedler Group president, Patrick Fiedler, presented to the San Fernando Valley Chapter of American Institute of Architects (AIA) on the impact of ever-changing environmental regulations on commercial site design. Read the rest of this entry »