The Canadian government says it is committed to reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 while strengthening the economy, creating good jobs and supporting energy workers.
Seamus O’Regan Jr., minister of natural resources, has unveiled plans for the Hydrogen Strategy Implementation Strategic Steering Committee, which will advance and measure the progress outlined in the Hydrogen Strategy for Canada launched in December 2020.
The committee, co-chaired by Natural Resources Canada and the Canadian Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association, is composed of senior leaders from across the industry, provincial and territorial partners, and non-government organizations. It will establish priorities, guide actions, share knowledge and track results to deliver on recommendations outlined in the Hydrogen Strategy – laying the foundation for success in the short term and identifying activities in the medium- and long-term to unlock hydrogen’s full potential in 2050.
“Clean hydrogen is a safe, convenient and cost-effective way to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions in many heating, transportation and processing areas,” says Mark Kirby, president and CEO of the Canadian Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association. “I look forward to working with committee members to ensure Canadians can take advantage of this home-grown technology and the huge economic opportunity it represents.”
Implementing the Hydrogen Strategy will spur public and private sector investments, ensure supply and demand grow at the same pace, and establish Canada as a global supplier of hydrogen. As one of the top 10 producers of hydrogen in the world – and a producer of fuel cells that use hydrogen – Canada will benefit from the growing global demand for hydrogen; a market that is expected to reach almost $12 trillion by 2050.
The Hydrogen Strategy supports the government’s climate plan, A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy, which included a federal investment of $1.5 billion in a Low-carbon and Zero-Emissions Fuels Fund to increase the production and use of low-carbon fuels, including hydrogen. It complements the Clean Fuel Standard, which will further drive investment and growth in Canada’s fuels sector by incentivizing the development and adoption of clean fuels such as hydrogen.
