British Columbia’s Hydrogen Future
A central hub of resources that show how hydrogen is shaping British Columbia’s sustainable energy future.
Learn about its production, safety, and potential to work in hard-to-decarbonize sectors, leveraging the province’s abundant energy resources and innovative projects.
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What Is Hydrogen?
Hydrogen is the lightest and most abundant element in the universe! Hydrogen is a non-toxic gas which exists naturally in water, plants, humans and other organic matter.
Hydrogen 101
Although hydrogen does occur naturally, most of the hydrogen used today is manufactured. Hydrogen is a solution for decarbonizing sectors of the economy where direct electrification is not practical. Read more about it below!
Hydrogen Safety
Hydrogen is a non-toxic gas that has been used by industry for over a century. As with any substance, hydrogen must be handled safely.
Hydrogen Safety
A number of hydrogen’s properties make it safer to handle and use than other fuels commonly used today. Read more below for some examples!
How Is It Made?
Hydrogen can be produced from a variety of resources. British Columbia (BC) has abundant renewable and conventional energy resources, such as hydroelectricity, solar energy, wind power, and natural gas, that can be used to produce low-carbon hydrogen.
Electricity
Electricity is a feedstock that can be used to produce hydrogen. Electrolysis is a process that uses electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. When electrolysis uses renewable electricity as a feedstock, the hydrogen produced has a low-carbon intensity and is commonly referred to as “green hydrogen”.
Natural Gas
There are two primary methods for producing hydrogen from natural gas: natural gas reforming and methane pyrolysis.
Natural gas reforming, which includes steam methane reforming (SMR) and auto thermal reforming (ATR), uses heat to break down natural gas into hydrogen and carbon dioxide (CO₂), with ATR being more efficient as it generates its own heat. When combined with carbon capture and storage, this process creates hydrogen commonly referred to as “blue hydrogen”.
Methane pyrolysis, on the other hand, also uses heat to break down natural gas, but this process creates hydrogen and solid carbon, and does not create CO₂ emissions. This type of hydrogen is commonly referred to as “turquoise hydrogen”.
Hydrogen as By-Product of Industrial Processes
Different industrial and chemical processes, such as the production of chlorine, generate hydrogen as a by-product. Instead of releasing hydrogen into the atmosphere, it can be captured and utilized, creating a new value stream.
Common Production Pathways
To meet emissions reduction targets, BC must focus on advancing low-carbon hydrogen production methods. Learn more about common hydrogen production pathways below!
Hydrogen Derivatives
Low-carbon hydrogen can be combined with other elements, such as CO₂ and nitrogen, to produce low-carbon fuels called “hydrogen derivatives,” such as ammonia, methanol, and synthetic fuels. Learn more about hydrogen derivatives below.
Hydrogen Production
in BC
Watch this video to learn about all the ways British Columbia is producing hydrogen to reduce emissions!
Carbon Capture,
Utilization & Storage
Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) is a series of processes where CO₂ is captured from industrial processes, transported, and either utilized or stored safely underground.
Carbon Capture, Utilization & Storage
CCUS is a safe and proven technology and has been used by industries on a large scale for many years. Learn more about the process below!
Regulatory Bodies
BC Energy Regulator (BCER)
The BCER is an agency responsible for regulating energy resource development in BC. The regulator oversees the safe, sustainable, and environmentally responsible management of oil, natural gas, hydrogen, ammonia, methanol, carbon capture and storage, and geothermal projects. The BCER ensures compliance with health, safety, and environmental standards while engaging with Indigenous communities and the public.
Environmental Assessment Office (EAO)
The EAO is a provincial agency responsible for assessing the potential environmental, social, economic, and cultural impacts of proposed major projects in BC. It ensures projects meet sustainability and environmental protection standards through rigorous reviews, public consultations, and Indigenous engagement.
Municipal Governments
The municipalities where hydrogen projects are hosted may adhere to certain rules and regulations that the project must follow. Municipal rules and regulations may differ from provincial and federal rules and regulations. See here for an example.
Technical Safety BC (TSBC)
TSBC oversees the safe installation and operation of technical systems and equipment in BC that are subject to specific rules and guidelines under the Safety Standards Act and Railway Safety Act. Specifically for the energy industry, this includes boilers, pressure vessels, refrigeration systems, electrical equipment and systems, and gas appliances and systems. TSBC is also responsible for ensuring compliance with safety regulations through activities such as permitting, licensing, enforcement, education, and research.
BC Utilities Commission (BCUC)
The BCUC regulates BC’s energy utilities, the Insurance Corporation of BC’s (ICBC) basic automobile insurance rates, common carrier pipeline operations and rates, and the reliability of the electrical transmission grid.
Hydrogen Refueling
There is an existing network of five fuelling stations to support hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles in BC.
Watch this video to learn more!
BC’s Hydrogen Future
BC is committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. The widespread use of low-carbon hydrogen is vital for both reducing emissions in BC and creating new clean energy jobs. See below for the current ongoing hydrogen projects in BC!
The Future of Hydrogen In BC
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Click below to see additional resources!
Powertech Labs
Powertech Labs is the leading authority for the testing and certification of high-pressure hydrogen fuel storage components and systems. A wholly owned subsidiary of BC Hydro, Powertech Labs is made up of 200 scientists, technicians, engineers and specialists who are pioneers in the development of high-pressure hydrogen technology for both vehicles and refuelling infrastructure.
Ballard Power Systems
Ballard Power Systems is a leading global provider of hydrogen fuel-cell products for sustainable transportation. Ballard designs, manufactures and sells fuel-cell products that power zero-emission transit buses, trucks, ships, trains and other heavy-duty vehicles that contribute to emission reductions in hard-to-decarbonise sectors.
HTEC
HTEC is currently operating six hydrogen refuelling stations across BC. HTEC works across the clean hydrogen value chain, developing, integrating and operating clean hydrogen energy solutions in strategic North American markets to enable the transportation sector’s transition to a low carbon future.
Unilia Canada Fuel Cells
Unilia Canada Fuel Cells is one of the world’s leading providers of fuel cell stack technology. Focusing on R&D, application engineering development, and at-scale production for their global customers, Unilia’s scientists, engineers, and production specialists are global industry veterans with decades of experience in all aspects of fuel cell technology.
Salish Elements
Salish Elements is a majority Indigenous-owned green hydrogen production company. They engineer green hydrogen solutions to end fossil fuel dependence in hard-to-decarbonize use cases. They are producing hydrogen for heavy-duty trucking, community power in remote diesel-dependent communities, and reserve power applications.
Hydra Energy
Hydra Energy is a Hydrogen-as-a-Service™ (HaaS™) pioneer and the first company to deliver commercial hydrogen-diesel, co-combustion trucks on the road accelerating the transition to cleaner transport. They bridge low-carbon hydrogen supply and demand, enabling licensees to scale profitably and fleet operators to secure reliable, long-term clean fuel contracts at diesel-equivalent prices without upfront investment.
Resources
Learn more information about how the hydrogen sector is growing in BC.
