The provincial government is accepting new proposals that unlock hydrogen’s potential in Ontario.
A total of $30 million is being made available.
Associate Minister of Energy Sam Oosterhoff says hydrogen can offer a clean energy resource and help Ontario become a leader in the field of hydrogen energy.
“Both as a clean energy source, and almost as importantly or even more importantly depending on who you talk to, a real major economic opportunity because it offers Ontario’s energy intensive industries from steel to chemical production to auto, a competitive advantage when we have clean, reliable fuel solutions that help reduce emissions on the one hand and also create good paying jobs,” says Oosterhoff.
The province first rolled out the Hydrogen Innovation Fund in 2023 and supported 15 projects.
Oosterhoff says it is important that the government get behind the sector.
“We know that hydrogen-based technologies can work to help address some of those gaps that currently can’t be addressed technically or economically through electrification or current technology alone. And in a time of global economic uncertainty, we need these hydrogen technologies. We need to come forward with support to de-risk those investments and help strengthen Ontario’s energy sovereignty and encourage more innovation in this space.”
According to a 2023 study commissioned by Natural Resources Canada, a robust hydrogen economy could create up to 70,000 jobs across Canada by 2050, including in Ontario, in areas such as production, infrastructure, storage and clean technology development, while helping to reduce GHG emissions.
Some companies in northwestern Ontario are currently looking at turning forest biomass into hydrogen.
