The Ontario government announced the first six projects that will receive funding through the new Hydrogen Innovation Fund, which will kickstart and develop opportunities for low carbon hydrogen to serve as a clean fuel while strengthening the province’s reliable, affordable and clean electricity grid.
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The successful projects represent $7.5 million in funding and mark another milestone in the implementation of the province’s Low-Carbon Hydrogen Strategy, positioning Ontario as a clean manufacturing hub.
In February 2023, Ontario announced it would establish a Hydrogen Innovation Fund that will invest $15 million over the next three years to kickstart and develop opportunities for hydrogen to be integrated into Ontario’s clean electricity system, including hydrogen storage.
The first six recipients of the Hydrogen Innovation Fund, administered by the Independent Electricity System Operator, will focus on the opportunities for hydrogen to serve as a clean alternative fuel for transportation and other end-uses and include:
• Enbridge Gas in Markham is receiving $1,787,480 for North America’s first hydrogen driven Combined Heat and Power facility that can also blend hydrogen with natural gas to produce energy.
• Emerald Energy from Waste in Brampton is receiving $2,990,000 for a new facility that will produce hydrogen from waste to test its ability to provide electricity grid services and supply hydrogen to heavy duty vehicles.
• Carlsun Energy Solutions is receiving $1,891,400 for a new electrolyzer to test its ability to provide electricity grid services and supply a hydrogen fuelling station in Port Elgin.
• Carlsun Energy Solutions is also receiving $500,000 for its Goderich and Seaforth locations to study the feasibility of using off-peak electricity to produce hydrogen for power generation and ammonia for fertilizer.
• Kinectrics is receiving $250,000 to study the feasibility of integrating hydrogen production, hydrogen power generation and a hydrogen fuelling station.
• The University of Windsor is receiving $130,000 to research the potential of low-carbon hydrogen produced with wind to provide grid services and support the greenhouse sector.
By 2050, the hydrogen economy could create over 100,000 jobs across the province while reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 50 megatonnes per year.
This reduction in GHG emissions would be equivalent to about a quarter of Ontario’s 2005 emissions or removing 15 million cars off the road. ■
Under an intense surge of arctic air, Friday morning will begin with the coldest temperatures so far this season across much of the central and eastern U.S. with blustery conditions and a piercing wind chill.