$25 MILLION FUNDING OPPORTUNITY TO ACCELERATE HYDROGEN TECHNOLOGIES IN ALBERTA

Alberta Innovates (AI) is concurrently announcing its $20 million Advancing Hydrogen – Competition 2 to support early-stage innovations in areas.  This opportunity is funded through Alberta’s Hydrogen Centre of Excellence. An additional $5 million will come from Natural Resources Canada (NRCan).

Projects will be evaluated on their ability to contribute to the broader hydrogen ecosystem and could include low-carbon hydrogen production, novel infrastructure, novel carriers, and hydrogen in industry and transportation. 

Successful applicants are eligible for up to $7 million with a minimum request of $250,000. The maximum ERA contribution to a single project will be no more than 50 per cent of the project’s eligible expenses. The deadline for applications is Tuesday, September 26, 2023 at 5:00 p.m. Mountain Daylight Time (UTC-6h) and must be made via the Alberta Innovates online application portal.

An informational webinar took place on August 16, 2023 at 10:00 a.m.

Click the links below for more details:  

• Call for Expressions of Interest Guidelines  
• Eligible Expense and Cost Instructions  
• Privacy, Confidentiality, Data, and Security Policy  
• Frequently Asked Questions  
• Register for the informational webinar  
• Learn more about AI’s Advancing Hydrogen – Competition 2

WHO SHOULD APPLY 

Innovators, technology developers, municipalities, Indigenous-led organizations, associations, research and development organizations, universities, not-for-profit organizations, and others are invited to apply.

Collaboration between multiple organizations is encouraged. Applicants are encouraged to partner with Alberta’s post-secondary and research institutions, Indigenous communities, and municipalities where appropriate.

Successful projects will demonstrate innovative solutions and next generation technologies and include elements of technology advancement and de-risking rather than deployment of commercially available solutions. 

FOCUS AREAS 

Proposals are invited for technology solutions in all areas of the hydrogen value chain, including hydrogen production, transportation, storage, end use, and enablers.

Projects of interest include, but are not limited to:  

• Low-carbon hydrogen production
  • Next-generation solutions for producing hydrogen from methane
  • Electrolytic production of hydrogen from water and clean electricity
  • Other emerging alternative hydrogen production pathways including photolytic hydrogen, bio-hydrogen, etc.

• Novel hydrogen infrastructure
  • Hydrogen pipeline technologies including coatings and treatments
  • Novel hydrogen storage
  • Hydrogen distribution and delivery solutions
  • Hydrogen safety and infrastructure enablers
  • Hydrogen districts, clusters, and similar

• Novel hydrogen carriers
  • Liquid carriers such as ammonia, methanol, or synthetic fuels
  • Metal-organic frameworks and similar
  • Power-to-gas and other hydrogen-based energy storage solutions

• Hydrogen in industry
  • Substitution of low-emissions hydrogen as an industrial feedstock, chemical input, or fuel
  • Hydrogen fuel cells and turbines for production of power and/or heat for commercial or industrial applications

• Hydrogen in transportation
  • Novel hydrogen fueling infrastructure
  • Hydrogen-fueled heavy-duty vehicles and equipment (transit, freight, services, mining, construction, agriculture, etc.)
  • Hydrogen for rail and aviation

STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT

Expressions of interest are invited for projects that will advance technology to the stages of field pilot, demonstration, or first-of-kind commercial implementation by project completion, as described below:

• Field Pilot: At this stage, the solution is ready to be field tested in an operational environment. Projects in this category include in-field testing of pilot/prototype units.
• Demonstration: At this stage of development, the technology or innovation is approaching the final commercial product and representative systems have been built. Projects in this category include demonstration of near- or full-commercial-scale systems in an operational environment.
• First-of-Kind Implementation: At this stage, the technology is ready for first-of-kind commercial deployment. Projects in this category will involve design, construction, and operation of the technology in its final commercial form, with the intent to operate the technology for its full commercial life.

In addition to the above requirement, ERA’s Accelerating Hydrogen Challenge is only open to projects starting at a technology readiness level (TRL) of 7 or greater. Thus, all projects submitted to this Call must have previously completed, at minimum, some Field Testing/Pilot activities as described above. Opportunities that are assessed by ERA and Alberta Innovates to begin at TRL 6 or below will be referred to the parallel HCOE Competition 2 for consideration.

PROJECT LOCATION 

All projects must demonstrate a clear and justified value proposition for reducing GHG emissions or enabling the transition to a net-zero economy in Alberta. Technology solutions can originate from anywhere globally but must be demonstrated or implemented in Alberta during the project. Projects that involve demonstration or implementation of a technology at multiple Alberta sites are eligible for funding under this Call.

APPROVAL PROCESS 

Submissions will be selected through ERA’s competitive review process. A team of experts in science, engineering, business development, commercialization, financing, and GHG quantification will conduct an independent, rigorous, transparent review overseen by a Fairness Monitor.

KNOWLEDGE SHARING 

All ERA funding recipients are required to produce a final outcomes report that is shared publicly for the broader benefit of Alberta. Funding recipients will be required to report on project outcomes, achievements, and lessons learned including GHG reductions, job creation, and other environmental, economic, and social benefits. 

ABOUT EMISSIONS REDUCTION ALBERTA (ERA): 

For more than 14 years, ERA has been investing revenues from the carbon price paid by large emitters to accelerate the development and adoption of innovative clean technology solutions. Since we were established in 2009, we have committed nearly $910 million toward 260 projects worth over $7.3 billion that are helping to reduce GHGs, create competitive industries and are leading to new business opportunities in Alberta. These projects are estimated to deliver cumulative GHG reductions of 40 million tonnes by 2030 and 108 million tonnes by 2050. 

ABOUT TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION AND EMISSIONS REDUCTION REGULATION 

The Technology Innovation Emissions Reduction (TIER) regulation is at the core of emissions management in Alberta. TIER implements Alberta’s industrial carbon pricing and emissions trading system. TIER is an improved system to help industrial facilities find innovative ways to reduce emissions and invest in clean technology to stay competitive and save money.