Atco Group to build hydrogen fuelling stations in Alberta

Atco Group, through its investment in Canadian Utilities Limited, signed an agreement to provide Canadian Pacific with engineering, procurement and construction services for two hydrogen production and refuelling facilities in Alberta.

ATCO is actively developing several hydrogen projects in Canada and Australia, including production, blending and refuelling facilities to drive down emissions and help progress the energy transition.

Bob Myles, Executive VP at ATCO, said, “For 75 years, we’ve been providing customers and communities with safe and reliable essential services, and we ensure that same dependability and agility is built into energy transition solutions as we journey to a cleaner, more sustainable energy future for all.”

ATCO is actively transitioning our portfolio to meet the needs of a new energy future, investing in innovative technology, and developing a suite of solutions from which our customers can choose. ATCO’s commitment to achieving net-zero GHG emissions by 2050 also extends to our customers’ use of our products and services.

Kyle Mulligan, CP Assistant VP of Operations Technology, commented, “The Calgary and Edmonton fuelling stations will be essential to bringing zero-emissions hydrogen locomotive propulsion into reality as part of CP’s commitment to sustainable and responsible operations.”

The hydrogen infrastructure at each CP site will include a 1 MW electrolyser, compression, storage and dispensing for locomotive refuelling. In Calgary, the electrolyser will be powered in part by renewable electricity from CP’s existing 5 MW solar power facility co-located at CP’s headquarters. Construction of facilities is expected to begin later this year, with production and supply of hydrogen being provided to locomotives in 2023.

The construction of the hydrogen facilities at CP’s Calgary and Edmonton railyards will advance CP’s innovative Hydrogen Locomotive Program, which has set its sights on building North America’s first line-haul hydrogen-powered freight locomotive. CP’s financial commitment to its Hydrogen Locomotive Program has been supported by $15 million in funding, awarded in 2021 by Emissions Reduction Alberta (ERA).