Brooks-Newell hydrogen project among four in Alberta to receive provincial funding

Newell County Reeve Arno Doerksen says the project could help position the region for a role in Alberta’s changing energy economy.

“The County of Newell is pleased to partner with the City of Brooks and the Government of Alberta through Emissions Reduction Alberta on a project that positions our region at the forefront of Alberta’s evolving energy economy,” Doerksen said in a statement.

“Hydrogen has significant potential to become part of Alberta’s transportation future, and this investment helps turn a shared vision into meaningful action.”

Integrated Energy & Power Solutions Canada Ltd. (IESP) is developing the Brooks-Newell Hydrogen Hub in partnership with the County of Newell and the City of Brooks.

The proposed facility would be Alberta’s first integrated hydrogen production and refuelling facility, serving the transportation and industrial sectors.

The hub would initially provide hydrogen to regional trucking and heavy-equipment operators participating in a County of Newell pilot program using dual-fuel technology.

IEPS says on the project site that the facility will produce hydrogen using electrolyzers powered by renewable electricity, while using air cooling to minimize water consumption.

The company says the hub could eventually support agricultural, industrial and oil and gas operations, as demand for low-emission transportation and hydrogen grows.

The other projects include soil treatment technology to break down oil contamination faster and at a lower cost, new pipeline technology being tested in Hardisty and carbon capture and sequestration technology at the Mercer paper mill in Peace River.

Environment and Protected Areas Minister Grant Hunter says the investments will help rural communities take advantage of new economic opportunities.

“These technology investments are helping communities seize new opportunities, showcasing Alberta’s ingenuity and expertise, creating jobs, supporting long-term economic growth and building on the strengths that have long driven our province’s economic success and prosperity,” Hunter said in a statement.

Justin Riemer, CEO of Emissions Reduction Alberta, says putting the technology to work in rural and northern communities is important to the province’s future.

“Deploying technology in Alberta’s rural and northern communities is essential to realizing its full potential,” Riemer said in a statement.

“These projects are putting innovative solutions to work in real-world operating environments, supporting local industries, attracting investment and creating new economic opportunities across the province.”

The province says the four projects are expected to create almost 600 jobs and reduce about 14-hundred tonnes of emissions by 2030.

by Jesse Gill

Brooks-Newell hydrogen project among four in Alberta to receive provincial funding

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