Quebec names geologic hydrogen a strategic sector in new long-term energy policy
The Government of Quebec has published its long-term energy policy, the Plan de gestion intégrée des ressources énergétiques, covering 2026 to 2050, formally identifying geologic, or natural, hydrogen as a strategic innovation sector for the province. The policy sets out a framework intended to guide research, development and eventual commercialisation of the resource over the coming decades.
Natural hydrogen is generated underground through geochemical reactions in iron and magnesium-rich rock formations, a process distinct from the electrolysis used to produce green hydrogen or the natural gas reforming used for blue hydrogen. Quebec’s Abitibi-Témiscamingue region, along with parts of the Gaspé peninsula, sits within Precambrian shield geology that explorers believe is favourable for natural hydrogen generation, and several junior companies already hold exploration permits in the province.
Québec Innovative Materials Corp, one of the companies active in the sector, welcomed the policy’s publication, saying it provides long-term regulatory clarity for a resource category that has so far lacked a dedicated framework in most jurisdictions. The move follows similar regulatory steps taken in neighbouring Nova Scotia, and comes as governments across North America increasingly weigh natural hydrogen as a potentially lower-cost complement to green and blue hydrogen production routes.
