The Brooks Newell Hydrogen Hub Project
Driving Alberta's Clean Transportation Future Forward
The Project
Alberta is increasingly becoming a leader in the use of hydrogen as a transportation fuel, and it is with a great deal of excitement we are pleased to announce the Brooks Newell Hydrogen Hub Project.
Diesel fuel is critical to our region but for many industries (and municipalities), the significant emissions associated the use of heavy-duty diesel engines are difficult to abate. Substituting low emissions hydrogen for diesel offers an opportunity to address this issue. Through a single integrated hydrogen production, storage and refueling Hub, the Project will provide the Brooks Newell Region with a reliable, and economic supply of low emissions hydrogen.
The Brooks Newell Region already supports a significant transportation industry and given our local resources, skilled personnel, and geographic location, the Region is ideally situated at the crossroads of this opportunity. Once complete, the Hub will become a focal point for the regional adoption of this important new fuel. The Hub will also be an economic driver that will help build a long lasting and viable new industry in the Brooks Newell Region while at the same time will become a keystone in an Alberta wide hydrogen transportation network.
The Implementation
The County of Newell will lead the collaboration with the City of Brooks through the Regional scope of the Brooks Newell Region. Planning for Phase One is now almost done and once full funding is in place, Phase One is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2025. Phase Two is expected to be operational and producing low emissions hydrogen by late 2027.
Phase One is focused on building Market Demand and will help assure regional truck fleet operators that they can reliably and economically convert their vehicles to using hydrogen as a fuel and that a supply of hydrogen will be available when they do. This will be accomplished by constructing a temporary refueling facility and then converting a number of heavy-duty vehicles to operate on both hydrogen and diesel. These trucks will be run under a number of operational conditions, with the results made widely available. Phase One will also be used to assess a number of key operational criteria for the proposed Hub and to prepare the applications required for government approval of Phase Two.
Phase Two, Market Supply, will focus on the construction and operation of the low emissions hydrogen production and refuelling facility. While initial facility production rates will be based on pre-contracted demand, the facility will also be designed to rapidly incorporate expected growth. Once in operation, Phase Two will ensure that a reliable, cost-effective supply of low emissions hydrogen is readily available as more regional fleet and individual truck owners move to incorporate hydrogen into their operations. The temporary refueling facility constructed during Phase One will likely also be kept in operation during the Phase Two construction phase to ensure fleet operators continue to have a supply of hydrogen.
The proposed Project will bring together a range of funding partners, industry associations, research & development organizations, and private industry in an innovative collaboration between government and the private sector.
The Outcome
The Brooks Newell Hydrogen Hub will initially serve trucking and eventually other heavy-duty industrial and agricultural operations in the Region. It is expected that if other demands for hydrogen grow (e.g. for home heating) the readily scalable facility will grow to meet those demands as well.
The full project cost for both phases is currently forecast to be approximately $42 million with over 90% of the funding from private and municipal sources. The Brooks Newell Region is working closely with various Alberta granting agencies to identify additional sources for the remaining funding.
Get Involved
For organizations and individuals interested in participating or learning more about the Brooks Newell Hydrogen Hub Project, opportunities abound. Whether through collaboration, investment, or simply staying informed, stakeholders can contribute to a cleaner, more sustainable future for Alberta's transportation sector.
The Brooks Newell Hydrogen Hub Project stands as a beacon of innovation and collaboration, poised to drive Alberta towards a greener future. By harnessing the power of hydrogen, this initiative not only addresses environmental challenges but also unlocks economic opportunities, paving the way for a more resilient and sustainable transportation ecosystem.
For more information on how to get involved, contact Mitchell Iwaasa, Economic Development Officer at ecdev@brooks.ca. Together, let's build a cleaner, brighter tomorrow for Alberta and beyond.