Ontario forges ahead to use hydrogen fuel as clean alternative power
The Canadian province’s government has invested millions in hydrogen innovation.
Moving forward with its commitment to expand the use of hydrogen fuel as a clean and low-carbon alternative fuel, the Ontario government announced the first projects that will receive funding via the Hydrogen Innovation Fund. The projects will focus on various aspects of using hydrogen, including electricity grid services and transportation.
To start there will be five recipients who receive funding.
The first five recipients of the Hydrogen Innovation Fund include Enbridge Gas, Emerald Energy from Waste Inc., Carlson Energy Solutions, Kinectrics, and The University of Windsor.
- Enbridge Gas will receive funding for North America’s first hydrogen-powered combined heat and power facility that will also be able to produce energy by blending hydrogen fuel with natural gas.
- Emerald Energy from Waste Inc. will receive funding to support the construction of a new facility that will generate hydrogen from water waste to test how capable it is at providing electricity grid services as well as supplying hydrogen to heavy-duty vehicles.
- Carlson Energy Solutions is undertaking two hydrogen fuel projects and will receive funding for both. The first project is for a new electrolyzer to test the electrolyzer’s ability to deliver electricity grid services and supply a hydrogen fueling station in Port Elgin. The second project is to study the feasibility of using off-peak electricity to generate hydrogen fuel for power generation and ammonia for fertilizer.
- Kinectrics has been awarded funding to study the feasibility of integrating H2 production, H2 power generation and an H2 fueling station.
- The University of Windsor is receiving funding to research the potential of low-carbon H2 generated with wind power to provide grid services as well as support the greenhouse sector.
Ontario is aiming to be a hydrogen fuel leader.
The province’s total investment in hydrogen innovation that will be allocated to the five recipients is CA$7.5 million (US$5.47 million). The investment into hydrogen fuel marks a significant step for Ontario, which aims to position itself as a leader in the expanding hydrogen economy. The initiative is in line with Ontario’s Low-Carbon Hydrogen Strategy.
Credit: Photo by depositphotos.com
During the recent funding announcement, Ontario’s minister of energy, Todd Smith, said that the “investments, which are part of our larger $15-million Hydrogen Innovation Fund, will kick-start new opportunities for hydrogen to be used as a clean fuel, creating new jobs and driving down emissions at the same time.”
Smith added that the Ontario government is “leveraging one of our province’s clear strengths — our world-class clean, reliable and affordable electricity system — to make us a leader in the growing hydrogen economy.”
For More About The Hydrogen Innovation Fund
Reducing GHG emissions.
Ontario believes that the hydrogen fuel economy could create more than 100,000 jobs while lowering greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 50 megatons annually.
To put this into perspective, decreasing this amount of GHG emissions is equal to removing about 15 million cards off the province’s roads.
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