Beyond the Road Block: Powering Critical Traffic Safety with Hydrogen Fuel Cells
GTL Leasing partners with Western Systems to deploy the HyMax fuel cell backup system, establishing unmatched grid resilience and safety at traffic intersections across California and enabling nationwide expansion.
GTL Leasing is proud to partner with Western Systems to provide a clean, reliable, and permanent solution: the HyMax Fuel Cell Backup Power System. We support Western Systems by supplying high-pressure hydrogen storage cylinders, ensuring continuous hydrogen fuel supply, and serving as a key technical advisor on deployment logistics.
This collaboration has not only dramatically increased road user safety in California counties but has also helped Western Systems scale the HyMax system, driving its successful adoption in communities nationwide. We are enabling a unique, everyday use case for hydrogen that often goes unnoticed: keeping communities moving, safely.
The GTL and Western Systems Advantage
GTL's Contribution to the HyMax Solution:
● High-Pressure Storage: Providing specialized, robust hydrogen cylinders to hold the fuel supply for extended runtimes.
● Fuel Logistics & Supply: Managing the reliable, on-demand supply of hydrogen to replenish units after use, minimizing downtime.
● Technical Advising: Consulting on cylinder usage, pressure specifications, and regulatory compliance to streamline deployment and expansion.
San Joaquin County: Ensuring Continuity of Service
San Joaquin County, a vital corridor in California, recognized that grid instability posed an unacceptable risk to public safety. Frequent and prolonged power outages, whether planned by utilities or caused by environmental factors, repeatedly plunged county-owned traffic signals into darkness. To secure road user safety, maintain efficient commerce, and achieve new sustainability goals, the County partnered with Western Systems to deploy the HyMax hydrogen fuel cell solution.
The Challenge
The County needed a permanent, clean, and reliable backup power system for all 31 county-owned traffic signals. Traditional solutions, like diesel generators or short-duration batteries, were insufficient for long-term outages and contradicted the County’s sustainability mandate. The primary challenge was ensuring continuous, long-duration service to prevent traffic snarls and safety hazards, requiring a robust fuel supply and technical expertise for deployment.
The Solution
Western Systems installed the innovative HyMax Fuel Cell Backup Power System across the County's network. GTL Leasing supported this large-scale deployment by providing the essential high-pressure hydrogen storage cylinders and establishing a reliable fuel supply chain supported by GTL's GTM transport trailers, which ensure the timely delivery of hydrogen to replenish units after use. Additionally, GTL served as a key technical advisor to assist Western Systems with the complex logistical planning required to deploy and maintain fuel readiness across the entire network.
The Results
Since the project's completion in mid-2023, San Joaquin County has successfully maintained traffic signal operation during several long-term power interruptions. This achievement has significantly:
Increased Road User Safety: By eliminating the hazards of dark intersections during outages.
Ensured Business Continuity: Allowing essential commercial and industrial traffic to move efficiently despite grid failure.
Guaranteed Service: The HyMax system, backed by GTL's reliable storage cylinders and GTM transport assets, provides the confidence that traffic control will remain active, fulfilling the County’s goal for continuity of service.
El Dorado County: Safety in the Face of Disaster
Nestled in a region prone to natural disasters, El Dorado County faced the critical dual challenge of maintaining traffic flow and ensuring a safe, efficient evacuation pathway during emergencies like wildfires and flooding. The need for absolute signal reliability, especially during grid failures common in disaster scenarios, led the County to pursue the same clean, permanent HyMax technology chosen by their neighbors in San Joaquin County.
The Challenge
The core challenge was not just addressing typical power outages but ensuring signal operation for public safety during large-scale natural disasters and mandatory evacuations. This required a backup system that was not only reliable and clean but also powerful enough to sustain operations for potentially days, supporting the safe movement of the public out of harm’s way.
The Solution
Western Systems deployed the HyMax system, which integrates seamlessly with advanced traffic control cabinets. GTL Leasing supported the initial deployment by providing the essential hydrogen storage cylinders and securing the ongoing fuel supply chain utilizing the GTM transport trailers. This foundation ensured the necessary hydrogen supply was delivered efficiently to sustain operations and maintain readiness, especially during high-stress emergency periods. This high-reliability system was integrated with the County’s infrastructure, demonstrating its critical function in maintaining organized traffic control during grid disruption.
The Results
Following the successful deployment of three initial HyMax units in 2023, the County immediately recognized the system’s value in enhancing emergency preparedness. Key outcomes include:
Proactive Preparedness: The HyMax system directly addresses the critical need for maintaining traffic flow during mandated evacuations.
Long-Term Commitment: El Dorado County was so confident in the HyMax solution that it specified the unit into all future signal installations and upgrades to existing signals.
Enhanced Safety: The system, backed by GTL’s reliable fuel logistics and transport assets, provides the community with a higher level of safety assurance against the threats posed by power loss during natural disasters.
Partnering for a Resilient Future
The work with Western Systems on the HyMax system showcases a unique and profound application of hydrogen technology, one that touches the lives of millions every day by safeguarding their commute and increasing public safety during emergencies.
GTL is proud that our support of projects in California has helped Western Systems expand the footprint of the HyMax system nationwide. As a trusted leasing partner, we continue to focus on providing the specialized equipment and logistics support necessary to scale innovative clean energy solutions like this.
