Carbon capture, utilization and storage and hydrogen

Overview

Continuing to develop carbon capture and storage will help Alberta capitalize on emerging opportunities, such as clean hydrogen production. As the largest hydrogen producer in the country, Alberta has considerable experience with hydrogen and is moving forward to integrate clean hydrogen into existing and emerging energy systems. By 2030, Alberta aims to integrate clean, low-carbon hydrogen into domestic markets on a large scale and a number of projects are already underway. Learn more in hydrogen economic opportunities.

Alberta’s hydrogen opportunity

Hydrogen represents a significant economic opportunity for Alberta’s energy sector and the province. By 2050, it is expected that the world’s hydrogen economy will be worth $2.5 to 11 trillion. Alberta is well positioned to be a key part of the global hydrogen economy. Alberta has considerable expertise with hydrogen, and that expertise could grow significantly to support growing demand.

The Hydrogen Roadmap is part of the province’s plan to develop and diversify hydrogen development. Developing carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) and hydrogen together reduces the cost, coordinates efforts, and optimizes the opportunity to responsibly develop this resource. The hydrogen economy is expected to bring both widespread direct and indirect economic benefits to the province. As world-scale hydrogen projects are developed, new employment opportunities are expected for professionals, scientists and trades while other jobs integrate with the new hydrogen economy.

Integrating CCUS

Alberta has the potential to be one of the lowest-cost producers of hydrogen in the world. The province can leverage its existing natural resources such as world-class natural gas reserves, renewable energy resources, extensive energy infrastructure and geological storage capacity to play a leading role in Canada’s clean hydrogen economy. This abundant storage capacity makes the province one of the best jurisdictions in the world for CCUS. CCUS uses integrated technologies and methods to reduce carbon dioxide emissions across various sectors including hydrogen production. Alberta is currently developing carbon storage hubs across the province to help ensure that industries have open access to affordable options to store their emissions.

In addition, Alberta offers several investment attraction programs, such as the Alberta Petrochemicals Incentive Program, which provides direct financial incentives to attract investment in the province’s petrochemical sector, including new or expanding hydrogen production facilities utilizing CCUS.

Hydrogen Centre of Excellence

The Hydrogen Centre of Excellence is led by Alberta Innovates, with the applied research and engineering expertise of its 2 subsidiaries, InnoTech Alberta and C-FER Technologies. The centre is a funding program, testing and service facility, and forum for facilitating partnerships to de-risk hydrogen technology development. Within Alberta’s Hydrogen Roadmap, the Hydrogen Centre of Excellence is an important delivery mechanism for many of its policy pillars to achieve a thriving hydrogen economy in Alberta, including enabling CCUS.

Contact

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