Major hydrogen demonstration project announced
The Mayor’s State of the City Address on April 5, 2023 to the Fort Saskatchewan & Lamont Regional Chamber of Commerce included a major announcement for the future of hydrogen energy in Canada.
Aurora Hydrogen has received approval to build a demonstration plant at the Sherritt Technologies facility in Fort Saskatchewan. Aurora’s technology and production of hydrogen are cleaner than most others, with zero emissions and reduced transportation costs.
“Sherritt International was the first industry to establish in Fort Saskatchewan back in the 1950s and I am proud to acknowledge that they are supporting the next phase of our energy transition,” stated Gale Katchur.
Transporting hydrogen is the most expensive part of the process. Aurora’s technology essentially “retrofits” current natural gas facilities and equipment with hydrogen production capability, which allows them to produce hydrogen using existing infrastructure.
The main benefits of the Aurora process are no carbon emissions, providing the best fuel for the environment and air quality; the cost advantage versus using typical fuels; and using a sustainable energy source. The Aurora project also keeps Fort Saskatchewan at the forefront of the energy transition which means more jobs, and new technology advancements developed right here.
“Aurora chose Fort Saskatchewan because some of the world’s largest energy players in the world are already here. The opportunity for government funding and partnerships is strong in Fort Saskatchewan and we have a lot of energy industry experts working and living here. We were able to demonstrate to Aurora that Fort Saskatchewan is committed to innovation in the energy sector,” says Katchur.
The project will demonstrate proof of performance, help acquire additional investors, and help Aurora understand how to distribute this even more efficiently across all of Canada and beyond. The first emission-free hydrogen production case study will be available in late 2023 and Aurora plans to deploy the technology on a larger scale in 2024.
