The Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) and HTEC, a Vancouver-based designer, builder, owner and operator of hydrogen supply solutions, are partnering to accelerate the deployment of hydrogen production and refueling infrastructure.

The CIB’s C$337-million loan (US$247 million) will expedite and expand HTEC’s operations in British Columbia and Alberta. The investment will contribute to the implementation of HTEC’s full-service, sustainable fuel supply chain focused on reducing emissions in the transportation sector, called H2 Gateway.

HTEC plans to build and operate an interprovincial network of up to 20 hydrogen refueling stations to support the deployment of fuel cell vehicles and advance greener transportation solutions. The refueling stations will be supported by three new electrolyzers located in Burnaby, Nanaimo and Prince George, and a facility that liquefies 15 tonnes per day of vented by-product hydrogen in North Vancouver. It is estimated that more than 280 full-time jobs will be created to build, operate and support the hydrogen infrastructure.

As part of this investment, 14 of the 20 new stations will enable the refueling of up to 300 heavy duty vehicles per day.

Once fully operational, it is forecasted transportation sector greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced by approximately 133,000 tonnes annually.

H2 Gateway is focused on building hydrogen transportation ecosystems which drives adoption of hydrogen as a transportation fuel in targeted regional hubs.

The partnership represents the third investment through the CIB’s Charging and Hydrogen refueling Infrastructure (CHRI) initiative, which is focused on expanding the private sector’s rollout of large-scale charging and hydrogen refueling infrastructure.

The CIB’s investment builds on previous support HTEC has received from Canada to advance clean transportation, including $5 million from PacifiCan’s Business Scale-up and Productivity funding and $3 million from Natural Resources Canada’s Zero Emissions Vehicle Infrastructure Program for its 2-tonne-per-day low-carbon hydrogen production and liquid transfer facility in Burnaby, BC.