Alberta’s hydrogen dream is about to get a little bluer — pun intended (more later) — after the city’s international airport announced plans to open the province’s first commercial filling station for fuel cell electric cars (FCEVs)..Late last week, YEG signed deals with Toyota Canada to supply the vehicles, which is part of the Edmonton Region Hydrogen Hub, to host the province’s first fleet of hydrogen-powered zero emission vehicles. It will take delivery of 100 Toyota Mirai, which will operate alongside hydrogen powered buses, snow plows and even heavy-duty armoured transport vehicles..It’s all part of the airport’s plan to be net-zero by 2040, and the Edmonton metro region’s goal of having 5,000 hydrogen and hydrogen dual-fuel vehicles on the city’s roads by 2028.. Hydrogen stationHydrogen fuel station sign ."This is a monumental day for the Edmonton Metro Region. YEG is proud to bring together companies from around the world to form partnerships, test new technologies and showcase the power of emissions-free hydrogen fuels,” said Myron Keehn, YEG’s president and CEO. .Presently, there are only seven permanent hydrogen filling stations in Canada: one in Victoria; three in Vancouver; one each in Toronto and Montreal; and one in Kelowna..While the airport continues its work to secure an economical supply of Alberta-made clean hydrogen, it has partnered with the world's largest hydrogen producer, Sherwood Park-based Air Products, on an interim mobile hydrogen refuelling station. .Because it comes from Alberta, it would be considered ‘blue’ hydrogen. Why blue?.That’s where a little high school chemistry comes in handy. Pure hydrogen — the lightest element on the periodic table — doesn’t exist in its pure state on Earth. It has to bond with other elements such as oxygen (as water) or carbon (as hydrocarbon) to prevent from spinning off into space..The colour label attached to the various manufactured gas streams is derived from its source. ‘Blue’ hydrogen refers to stocks produced from natural gas while ‘green’ comes from other non-fossil fuel sources such as electrolysis of water. ‘Pink’ hydrogen comes from nuclear reactors while ‘black’ or ‘brown’ hydrogen is captured from coal..The byproducts of hydrogen combustion are water and heat..Alberta already is the largest hydrogen producer in Canada but it’s mostly derived from — and used — for industrial purposes. In November of 2021, the Alberta government released its ‘hydrogen roadmap’, which envisages a $2.5 trillion a year global hydrogen economy by 2050..According to that document: “Our natural gas reserves, when combined with carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS), provide a way to quickly scale hydrogen production. We also have the ability to produce hydrogen using renewable electricity or emerging technologies like natural gas decomposition.”.“Beyond producing clean hydrogen, Alberta has the opportunity to reduce carbon emissions by integrating clean hydrogen across our economy.”.Added Dale Nally, the province’s minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction: "This initiative raises the profile of clean hydrogen as a viable transportation fuel, supporting the Alberta government's plan to make Alberta a global hydrogen leader and remain a supplier of responsible energy products."."As a fuel source that produces only water and heat, with no carbon emissions, hydrogen has the potential to become a major factor in meeting carbon reductions worldwide.".California-based alternative fuel provider, FirstElement, will eventually build and operate a permanent station under its True Zero brand at Edmonton International. True Zero operates 29 stations; 53 of the US’ 54 outlets are in California. The other one is in Hawaii..In addition to the Toyota Mirai, there are presently about a dozen commercially available hydrogen vehicles on the market, including the BMW H7, the Mercedes F-Cell and the Land Rover Defender..The Mirai received a favourable Motor Trend review — apart from the hassle of keeping it filled — with mileage equivalent ratings of about 74 miles per gallon, or almost 650 kilometres per fill. Retail hydrogen costs about $13 per kilogram; with capacity of 5.6 kilos, it costs about $75 to fill..But you’d be hard pressed to spend that much, even in Canada the Mirai comes with a $15,000 hydrogen fuel card that is good for six years — whichever comes first.
