| | |

Ontario Launches Hydrogen Innovation Fund

Program will kickstart opportunities for hydrogen to contribute to Ontario’s clean electricity grid

February 6, 2023

hydrogen innovation

The Ontario government is establishing 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 electricity storage. This launch marks another milestone in the implementation of the province’s Low-Carbon Hydrogen Strategy, positioning Ontario as a clean manufacturing hub.

“When energy is reliable, affordable and clean our whole province wins,” said Todd Smith, Minister of Energy. “The Hydrogen Innovation Fund will help to lay the groundwork for hydrogen to contribute to our diverse energy supply, supporting game-changing investments in electric vehicle production, green steelmaking and clean manufacturing that will create good paying jobs, grow our economy and reduce emissions.”Todd Smith, Minister of Energy

Hydrogen Innovation Fund projects would support electricity supply, capacity, storage and demand management, and support growth in Ontario’s hydrogen economy. The Fund will support projects across three streams:

  • Existing facilities already built or operational and ready to evaluate how hydrogen can support Ontario’s clean grid.
  • New hydrogen facilities not yet constructed but could be in-service by a specified date to demonstrate how hydrogen can support Ontario’s clean grid.
  • Research studies investigating the feasibility of novel applications of hydrogen or support future hydrogen project decision making.

The Hydrogen Innovation Fund will be administered by the Independent Electricity System Operator, which is opening applications for the fund in April 2023. Natural Resources Canada modelling shows that hydrogen could make up about 30 per cent of the country’s fuels and feedstock by 2050 and create 100,000 jobs in Ontario. By making investments early to explore applications for hydrogen in our clean electricity sector we are paving the way for the growth of our own hydrogen economy.

“As a fuel that can be produced and used with little to no greenhouse gas emissions, hydrogen has tremendous potential to help us meet our long-term economic and environmental goals,” said David Piccini, Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. “Our government will continue to support innovation and investment in clean technologies that will position Ontario as the clean manufacturing and transportation hub of the future while leading Canada in greenhouse gas emission reductions.”David Piccini, Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks

The province is also advancing work to develop the Niagara Hydrogen Centre, led by Atura Power, which would increase the amount of low-carbon hydrogen produced in Ontario by eight-fold. This innovative project would help balance the electricity grid while using previously unutilized water at the Sir Adam Beck generating station to produce electricity for a hydrogen electrolyzer. To support the implementation of the project, the IESO entered into a contract for grid regulation services at the Sir Adam Beck station starting in 2024, which will support low-carbon hydrogen production at the Niagara Hydrogen Centre.

These investments build on Ontario’s clean energy advantage as our government makes progress on the Low-Carbon Hydrogen Strategy that laid out eight concrete actions to make Ontario a leader in the latest frontier of energy innovation – the hydrogen economy.

Quick Facts

  • Hydrogen is a versatile fuel that can be used for vehicles, industrial processes and like renewable natural gas can be integrated into the existing natural gas system while emitting little to no greenhouse gases or other pollution.
  • Under the previous government, surplus electricity generation from Ontario’s nuclear and hydroelectric fleets was sold at a loss to competing jurisdictions. Ontario’s Low-Carbon Hydrogen Strategy will leverage that electricity for hydrogen production.
  • The strategy identifies potential hydrogen hub communities in Niagara, Halton Hills, Nanticoke, Brighton Beach and Lambton where low-carbon hydrogen demand can be matched with existing energy infrastructure and access to Ontario’s clean electricity grid.
  • In October 2022, Atura Power selected Cummins Inc. to design and manufacture a 20-megawatt (MW) electrolyzer for the project at Cummins’ Mississauga facility.

Additional Resources

Source

Related Story

Ontario Innovation Takes Centre Stage During Trade Mission to the United States

Ontario innovation takes centre stage during trade mission to the United States. The Ontario government has concluded a successful trade mission to the United States to promote the province’s flourishing automotive, technology and life sciences sectors and attract new investment opportunities.

Two delegations of more than 29 Ontario companies, led by Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, represented the province at two of the world’s largest technology and innovation conferences – the Consumer Electronics Show and the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference and Biotech Showcase.

Related Articles


Latest Articles

  • Cobot Welding Solutions – How Experienced Welders Feel

    March 28, 2023 Electromate received some feedback when meeting with experienced welders who were initially resistant to the idea of using a cobot welder. After all, they’d spent years perfecting their welding techniques, and were confident in their ability to produce high-quality welds without any assistance. However, after some experience, they often come to appreciate… Read More…

  • Everything You Need to Know About Robots-as-a-Service (RaaS) by Automate

    March 23, 2023 The pressure to automate has never been stronger. Even though barriers to entry have lessened in recent years, figuring out where and how to start can still feel daunting. So it’s no surprise that recent years have seen a sharp increase in Robots-as-a-Service (RaaS). In fact, ABI Research predicted that there will be 1.3… Read More…


Featured Article

Guillevin Greentech Delivers Custom Solutions & Reliable Inventory

Guillevin Greentech Delivers Custom Solutions & Reliable Inventory with Decentralized Model
Guillevin Greentech is a distributor of clean energy solutions for commercial, residential, off-grid, grid-connected and hybrid projects

Guillevin Greentech is one of Canada’s largest distributors of renewable energy solutions. Established in 2016, this division of Guillevin offers Canadians everything they need to achieve their green tech goals through years of expertise, experience and service, as well as the company’s access to reliable inventory. We sat down with experts Ndiaga Mbaye, renewable energy specialist and Viviane Lapointe, external sales representative to discuss Guillevin’s Greentech division, their custom design solutions for solar or EV installations, and their thoughts on the future of green technologies.

Read more


Products

  • Additional FATH T-slotted Rail Hardware Components from AutomationDirect

    March 29, 2023 AutomationDirect has added more FATH hardware components to their selection of T-slotted rail products. These components easily install in SureFrame rails, as well as many other brands, and include roll-in T-slot nuts with spring loaded ball, slide-in T-slot nuts, screw and miter connectors, 1- and 2-slot pivot joints, extended swivel bases, foot consoles, leveling… Read More…

  • AutomationDirect releases new Atlas 300V Type AWM Wire

    March 28, 2023 AutomationDirect The new 300V Atlas Type AWM (appliance wire material) wire is commonly used for appliance wiring, control cabinets, and machine tool applications. This new wire meets the National Electrical Code (NEC) and NFPA Standard 79 requirements and is made in the USA. Atlas Type AWM wire consist of a tinned copper… Read More…