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Ottawa is putting $1.35 million into helping Alberta companies engineer and test hydrogen fuel infrastructure, equipment and technologies.
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Federal Minister in charge of Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan) Daniel Vandal said Tuesday the funding will help Alberta companies get ahead in the rapidly growing hydrogen economy.
“We are investing in projects that provide entrepreneurs and provide businesses with the knowledge that they need, and the resources they need, to develop industry leading-edge hydrogen products and technologies,” Vandal said at his first announcement since being appointed minister.
C-FER technologies, a non-profit subsidiary of Alberta Innovates, is also chipping in $300,000. Combined with contributions from private companies, a total of $2.8 million is going towards the initiatives.
Vandal noted that Alberta’s natural gas reserves and expertise make it “a natural” for hydrogen development.
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“That means Alberta will be a world class leader,” said Vandal.
The Alberta government’s hydrogen plan, released last Friday, has set its sights on exporting the province’s blue hydrogen, which is produced from natural gas through carbon capture and storage technology, globally by 2030.
The federal hydrogen strategy, first released last December , also embraces blue hydrogen as the favourite for large-scale, low-cost production.
The federal government’s goal is to create 350,000 hydrogen sector jobs across the country by 2050. That strategy is being funded by $1.5 billion from the Low-carbon and Zero-emissions Fuel Fund.
More to come…