Called the H2 Gateway, the goal is to install 20 refueling stations for fuel cell vehicles

In the Canadian province of British Columbia, the provincial government has announced a CAD $900 million (about USD $650 million) project to install a network of hydrogen production plants and refueling stations.

The project will help the province to decarbonize and create almost 300 jobs

The funds behind this project are in part in the form of a CAD $337 million loan from the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB), a Crown corporation. These funds will support the HTEC project for building 20 refueling stations for fuel cell vehicles. Though 18 of the total number will be installed in British Columbia, the remaining two will be built in the neighboring province of Alberta.

Both the CIB and the provincial government of British Columbia have announced that the hydrogen fuel production plants that will be supplying the network will be located in three places in the province: Prince George, Nanaimo, and Burnaby.

There are also plans beyond the three main hydrogen production plants

The CIB and BC provincial government also announced that there will be a facility built in North Vancouver that will liquefy 15 metric tons of byproduct H2.

The project as a whole has been called the H2 Gateway, and over 280 jobs are expected to be created in order to make it happen.

Of the new stations being built, 14 will have the capacity to refuel as many as 300 heavy-duty vehicles per day, said the provincial government. It also stated that H2-powered vehicles have a substantial range and short refueling time. As a result, they want a main H2 network in place to help support the adoption of these types of clean-operating vehicles.

Aiming for benefits from a hydrogen economy

Premier of British Columbia David Eby was in attendance at the announcement of the project, as was federal Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson, among other officials.

“We know the cost of inaction on climate change is not just in the price of responding to extreme weather like forest fires,” said Eby. “Inaction would also cost us new jobs, new investment and new opportunities in growing a cleaner economy.” He also added that, “We can’t afford to miss this economic opportunity.”