Irving Oil to develop its own hydrogen fuelling infrastructure
The company will expand its hydrogen capacity at its Saint John’s refinery to offer the alternative fuel to the regional market.
Irving Oil announced plans to expand its hydrogen capacity at the Saint John refinery, with the goal of offering hydrogen fuelling infrastructure in Atlantic Canada. In formalising an agreement to purchase a hydrogen electrolyzer, the firm will be the first oil refinery in Canada, and one of the first in North America, to make such an investment in this type of clean energy solution.
The company’s initial investment in a 5-megawatt electrolyzer, developed by New York hydrogen technology company Plug Power Inc. is expected to be fully operational by late 2023. The equipment will play a significant role in exploring further hydrogen production to drive emission reductions at the Saint John refinery, as well as clean energy solutions for downstream customers. Once fully operational, the electrolyzer will produce 2 tonnes of hydrogen per day – the equivalent to fuelling 60 buses with hydrogen.
“At Irving Oil, we believe that low-carbon hydrogen production, use and distribution will play an important role in our decarbonization journey. This foundational project will accelerate our company’s learning about hydrogen as a downstream product while creating a decarbonization pathway for our Saint John refinery,” said Ian Whitcomb, President of Irving Oil.
Currently, the firm’s facility generates more than 200 tonnes of hydrogen per day, which is used to lower the sulphur content of petroleum products at the refinery. While currently, hydrogen at the facility is produced with natural gas, the hydrogen electrolyzer will create hydrogen using electricity from the local electricity grid.
The initial hydrogen electrolyzer investment is poised to contribute to Irving Oil’s objective of achieving a 30% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. The company is committed to targeting industry solutions that will lower emissions and align with carbon reduction goals, while enhancing the opportunities for future development in Atlantic Canada and beyond.
