ATCO is actively working across all aspects of the hydrogen value chain to support our customers’ decarbonization ambitions and bring Canada’s hydrogen ecosystem to life.
Clean Hydrogen Production
A significant proportion of Canada’s GHG emissions arise from the combustion of natural gas for industrial processes. The ATCO Heartland Hydrogen Hub will produce 300,000 tonnes of hydrogen per year and would significantly advance Alberta’s hydrogen strategy, generate substantial economic activity and jobs across the province, and make a sizable contribution to Canada’s net-zero ambition. Plans for carbon capture technology target capture and sequestration of more than 95 per cent of process carbon emissions.
- ATCO Heartland Energy Centre (AHEC)
ATCO is constructing a hydrogen facility in ATCO's Alberta Heartland Energy Centre, located near Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta. This potentially world-scale clean hydrogen project would be used to supply clean hydrogen to the Alberta gas grid, while also making hydrogen volumes available for Alberta's other industrial, municipal, and commercial transport users. The project represents an important step in fostering a hydrogen ecosystem in Canada by providing a clean fuel alternative that is competitive with incumbent fuels.
Carbon Sequestration
The Atlas Hub is an open access sequestration project in Alberta’s Industrial Heartland (AIH), proposed by ATCO EnPower and Shell Canada, and selected by the Alberta government for development. It would provide permanent sequestration of CO2 for industry, including from our proposed hydrogen production facility. More than 95 per cent of the CO2 emissions generated in the hydrogen production process would be safely captured and stored under the proposal. Pipeline transportation and sequestration capacity at the facility would total 6 to 10 million tonnes per year.
Hydrogen Storage
ATCO has existing development and operational experience in natural gas and natural gas liquids sub-surface storage in salt caverns in the Alberta Industrial Heartland and is leveraging it in its hydrogen storage program. The AIH has pipeline and hydrogen storage facilities to support the reliable and cost-effective delivery of hydrogen for our customers.
Heavy Transport
While electrification can reliably decarbonize light transport, hydrogen’s energy density is better suited for heavy transport. ATCO is providing CP Rail with engineering, procurement and construction services for two hydrogen production and refuelling facilities in Alberta, which will support CP’s Hydrogen Locomotive development program.
- Hydrogen Production & Refuelling Stations for Canada Pacific's Hydrogen Locomotive Program
ATCO brought its expertise in engineering, procurement and construction services to two hydrogen production and refuelling facilities in Calgary and Edmonton, Alberta. The infrastructure at each Canada Pacific (CP) site includes a 1MW (megawatt) electrolyzer, compression, storage and dispensing for locomotive refuelling. In Calgary, the electrolyzer is powered in part by renewable electricity from CP’s existing solar power facility, co-located at CP's headquarters.
Clean Fuels Export
- ATCO and Kansai Pursue Export of Clean Fuels from Canada to Japan
ATCO and The Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc. ("Kansai") are collaborating to develop an integrated clean fuels supply chain between Canada and Japan. ATCO and Kansai have already completed a pre-feasibility study to produce clean hydrogen and its derivatives in Canada, spanning the entire value chain, with the end product arriving in Japan.
Ammonia
Ammonia can be used as an energy carrier in the shipment of other materials, such as hydrogen, in addition to being used directly for coal plant co-firing.
Hydrogen (H2) is colourless, odorless, tasteless, non-toxic, and non-poisonous.
When burned, H2 produces water vapour and no carbon emissions.
H2 is an efficient way to store and transport energy.