Countries including South Korea, Germany, France and Portugal have plans to accelerate the production and use of clean hydrogen. Many of those countries are putting big money into hydrogen initiatives. For instance, Germany has a $13.7-billion hydrogen strategy as part of its COVID-19 recovery package.
To compete, Canada will need to spend money.
“Right now, Canada has committed $1.5-billion shared among a bunch of zero-emissions fuels – that’s probably not a sufficient level,” Petrevan says.”Groups like the Task Force for a Resilient Recovery recommended $1-billion just for hydrogen.”
We also need more pilot projects, Petrevan says. For instance, an Alberta group is set to run two hydrogen-powered transport trucks between Alberta and Calgary next year.
“Could they get one happening in Ontario with a steel plant or a cement plant?” Petrevan says.
But a University of British Columbia professor who consulted on Ottawa’s strategy says there are likely pilots in the works that haven’t been announced yet.....
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“I’ve got [non-disclosure agreements], so I can’t say too much,” says Gordon Lovegrove, a UBC civil-engineering professor who does research on hydrogen-powered rail.
Lovegrove doesn’t think Ottawa’s strategy needs to be more specific. The details should be up to the provinces and businesses, he says.
“The policy has been launched, so it’s up to business to do its part and run with it,” Lovegrove says. “It’s a good start, and it’s never going to be perfect – how much more could they say without giving away a competitive advantage?”.....
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