Government officials, stakeholders, project partners and commercial carriers based in Alberta gathered at the Edmonton International Airport on Friday to launch Canada’s first demonstrations of heavy-duty freight trucks fueled by hydrogen.
The two-year Hydrogen Commercial Vehicle Demonstrations Project will be led by the Alberta Motor Transport Association (AMTA) and will focus on collecting and assessing data related to the performance of hydrogen-powered semi trucks on Alberta’s roadways.
The initiative will give commercial drivers the opportunity to test Class 8 hydrogen vehicles during their regular operations.
Good morning from EIA Edmonton where we're launching Canada’s first Hydrogen Commercial Vehicle Demonstrations! Thank you to our OEMs @HydraEnergyNow @hyzonmotors and @nikolamotor pic.twitter.com/GumdfmE7j9
— amta_ca (@AMTA_ca) February 10, 2023
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The project also aims to test fuel cell reliability, fees and maintenance associated with the operation of commercial hydrogen vehicles and supporting infrastructure.
“Our government is proud to be investing in this and other initiatives that further position Alberta as a global leader in the hydrogen industry. This includes being at the forefront of using hydrogen fuel in real-life applications such as buses, freight trucks and other heavy equipment,” said Dan Vandal, Minister of Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan) and Member of Parliament.
Arizona-based Nikola Corporation (NASDAQ: NKLA) also voiced its enthusiasm for participating in the project. Nikola Corp specializes in the production of zero-emission heavy-duty electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles and hydrogen infrastructure.
“Nikola Corporation is pleased to be part of the Hydrogen Commercial Vehicle Demonstrations Project to help with the adoption of zero-emission trucks into the Alberta and Canadian markets,” said Carly Mendes, President of Energy at Nikola Corp.
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Hydrogen is essential to meet Canada’s goal of net-zero emissions by 2050
In addition to voicing support for the hydrogen vehicle testing project, government officials from PrairiesCan announced last month that the organization would be providing approximately $9.75 million to help foster growth in Alberta’s hydrogen sector.
PrairiesCan says the funding will help support over 1,600 Canadian jobs while supporting pilot projects like the one announced on Friday. The organization estimates that the use of hydrogen could reduce national greenhouse gas emissions by up to 45 million metric tonnes per year by the end of the decade.
“With the right resources and expertise, Alberta is well-positioned to become a global hydrogen leader. This investment will harness these assets so we can transition the commercial transportation sector to this low-carbon fuel,” said Doug Paisley, Board Chair of the AMTA in mid-January.
According to the International Energy Agency, the price of producing hydrogen from renewable electricity is high at the moment but has the potential to drop by up to 30 per cent before 2030 as the production of hydrogen infrastructure continues to increase globally.
rowan@mugglehead.com
