Hundreds of new jobs in the clean economy will be coming to B.C. as the Province supports a first-of-its-kind project to accelerate the build-out of hydrogen production and a provincewide refuelling network.
HTEC has announced its H2 Gateway project aimed at reducing emissions in the transportation sector. HTEC plans to build and operate an interprovincial network of as many as 20 hydrogen refuelling stations (with 18 in B.C.) to support the deployment of fuel-cell vehicles and advance greener transportation solutions. The refuelling stations will be supported by three new electrolyzers in Burnaby, Nanaimo and Prince George, and a new facility that liquefies 15 tonnes per day of byproduct hydrogen in North Vancouver.
The H2 Gateway projects are estimated to create more than 280 full-time jobs to build, operate and support the hydrogen infrastructure. H2 Gateway will also support the development of regional hydrogen hubs across the province where production and use are co-located to lower costs and maximize benefits for local economies.
Hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles can travel long distances and have relatively short refuelling times. As part of this investment, 14 of the 20 new stations will enable the refuelling of as many as 300 heavy-duty vehicles per day. It is estimated that H2 Gateway could reduce emissions from the transportation sector by approximately 133,000 tonnes annually.
The total cost of the H2 Gateway projects with input from all partners is approximately $900 million. The Province is supporting the H2 Gateway project through B.C.’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS). Under four LCFS Initiative Agreements valued at up to $133 million, HTEC is proceeding with the construction of hydrogen fuelling stations in key communities, green-hydrogen production in Burnaby and byproduct hydrogen production in North Vancouver.
The Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) has also announced a $337-million loan to expedite and expand HTEC’s operations through the implementation of H2 Gateway. The CIB’s financing will help accelerate the implementation of hydrogen technology and help mitigate uncertainty in the rate and pace of hydrogen adoption, which have historically been barriers to private investment in sustainable fuel production and infrastructure.
B.C.’s new Clean Energy and Major Projects Office (CEMPO) is fully operational and supporting projects such as HTEC’s. Announced in March 2023 to fast-track investment in clean energy and create good, sustainable jobs in the transition to a clean economy, CEMPO is providing dedicated support to clean-energy projects, including in the emerging hydrogen economy.