OPG supports Ontario in building the hydrogen economy

OPG supports Ontario in Building the Hydrogen Economy (CNW Group/Ontario Power Generation Inc.)

TORONTO — Climate change leader Ontario Power Generation recently issued a Request for Market Information (RFMI) aimed at using Ontario’s clean electricity to produce low-carbon hydrogen.

“The clean reliable electricity we produce in Ontario has the power to fuel low-carbon hydrogen production,” said Ken Hartwick, OPG President and CEO in a statement. “Our Climate Change plan pledged to drive innovation toward a cleaner future for Ontarians. This RFMI is a concrete step toward meeting that commitment.”

The RFMI seeks information from leading hydrogen vendors for electrolyzer technologies ranging in size from 20 megawatts (MW) to 200 MW. Electrolyzers split water into hydrogen and oxygen using electricity. This is a concrete first step as we move toward using low-carbon hydrogen in the fight against climate change.

In their Climate Change Plan, released last November coinciding with the two-year anniversary of the Province’s Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan, OPG pledged not only to be a net-zero carbon company by 2040, but to act as a catalyst for efficient, economy-wide decarbonization by 2050.

Low-carbon hydrogen has the potential to reduce or offset emissions in a variety of applications. It can be used to power fuel cells in vehicles, which could help replace diesel engines in the heavy-duty and long-haul trucking industry. Hydrogen can also be used as a substitute for high-emitting industrial applications such as steel- and cement-making. It is also possible to blend hydrogen with natural gas to reduce carbon impact.