12 B.C. projects benefit from federal funding for clean energy, alternative fuels sectors

The federal government is funding 60 “clean fuel” projects across Canada, 12 of which are based in British Columbia.

Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson announced the $800-million investment at a news conference in Vancouver Monday morning.

“While I can’t name the successful projects today, I can share that the government will be funding five fuel types across seven provinces and territories,” said Wilkinson.

The significant funding is part of Natural Resources Canada’s $1.5-billion Clean Fuels Fund, which was set up by former natural resources minister Seamus O'Regan.

NRCan defines clean fuel as “fuels that produce much lower greenhouse gas emissions than traditional fuels.” Through the CFF, the federal government says it’s goal is to de-risk capital investment required to build, renew or expand clean fuel production facilities.

Monday’s announcement represents the first round of successful applications from last year’s federal call for proposals, and have a total combined value of more than $3.8 billion. Wilkinson says the second tranche of applicants will be announced in the coming weeks.

“Clean technology must and will be a part of the net zero future in Canada and around the world,” said Wilkinson. “Any plan that does not include how to incorporate clean technology is not a real climate plan.”

Wilkinson also revealed Monday that NRCAN is providing $8.8 million to six organizations that will produce 10 hydrogen and natural gas refueling stations.

Three of those companies are B.C.-based and will receive a total $6.2 million of the funds, which are being provided through NRCan’s Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program and the Electric Vehicle and Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Deployment.

Three-million dollars is going to HTEC, a Vancouver hydrogen production company tasked with installing three hydrogen refuelling stations throughout the province.

“As the first company that built this network in Canada, we know that scaling up requires immense support from both the government and industry,” HTEC president and CEO Colin Armstrong said in a federal statement released after Monday’s announcement. “Expanding the hydrogen refuelling station network is critical for the widespread adoption of hydrogen electric transportation.”

FortisBC Energy Inc. is slated to receive $2.2 million to build three natural gas refueling stations in Delta, Kelowna and Abbotsford.

“As we continue to add more renewable and low-carbon gases, like renewable natural gas and hydrogen, these alternative transport fuels can progressively decarbonize transportation along with our system as a whole,” FortisBC President Roger Dall’Antonia said in the release.

The funding also includes $1 million for the University of British Columbia to install a hydrogen station in Vancouver.

“UBC’s renewable energy hub will demonstrate innovative ways of linking solar power to green hydrogen production and establish new business cases for battery-electric and fuel cell vehicles as active participants in smart district energy systems,” said the university’s interim president and vice-chancellor Deborah Buszard.