The Promise Of Hydrogen

Imagine if Western Canada's bountiful hydrocarbon resources could be converted into a clean fuel capable of producing electricity and powering motors, all with zero greenhouse gas emissions. That's the promise of hydrogen.

Hydrogen produces only oxygen and water as byproducts when burned in a turbine to produce electricity. Most hydrogen today is made from natural gas or methane in a process that strips out the carbon, which can be sequestered or captured for another use. Prototype hydrogen generation and transmission facilities can be found around the world. Small amounts of hydrogen can be blended into existing natural gas pipelines, but more robust pipelines are needed to carry pure hydrogen. The assumption is that the cost of hydrogen could become viable in the carbon-pricing environment of the future.