Overview
The Canadian Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association (CHFCA) is a collaborative effort of industry, academia, government agencies, financial organizations and other stakeholders focused on advancing the use of advanced hydrogen and fuel cell technologies and products to help tackle our world’s most critical energy and climate challenges. Our mission is to champion the Canadian hydrogen and fuel cell sector and accelerate the adoption of our members’ products and services, in Canada and abroad.
The CHFCA is committed to the Statement of Principles in the Small Modular Reactor (SMR ) Roadmap.
Clean, affordable hydrogen is essential for Canadians and Canadian industry to take advantage of the choice that hydrogen and fuel cell technologies can offer for cost-effective and efficient decarbonization of industrial processing, heating and transportation, including heavy-duty transportation. SMR technology offers the potential for cost effective hydrogen production in remote communities, mine sites and oilsands projects in addition to providing power and heat, thereby reducing or eliminating the need to import and use fossil fuels.
The CHFCA and its members companies’ role is to ensure the development and commercialization of hydrogen and fuel cell applications, technologies and products in Canada and globally. In addition, the CHFCA will work with stakeholders in the SMR partnership to stimulate development and demonstration projects targeting hydrogen production solutions that integrate with SMR technology. An example is the work being done by CHFCA Sponsoring member company Canadian Nuclear Laboratories on high temperature thermochemical process (HCuTECTM) for hydrogen production. Hydrogen and fuel cell technologies and products, when combined with SMR, will provide a complete solution for the target markets identified in the Roadmap, providing for their power, heat, processing and transportation needs, thereby enabling faster and wider adoption of both SMR and hydrogen/fuel cells.
Success in our efforts will mean that every SMR has the ability to be integrated with a hydrogen production unit and the majority are sold with hydrogen production, providing additional value to customers and improving the business case for SMR.
To achieve this vision, the CHFCA is working closely with NRCan to support implementation of the Hydrogen Strategy for Canada, a roadmap for hydrogen energy deployment in Canada. The Strategy will help ensure proven hydrogen distribution technologies, applications and products are available to provide demand for SMR-generated hydrogen. A central tactic of the Hydrogen Strategy is the development of hydrogen nodes: large scale deployments of clean hydrogen technology that integrate low-cost production with multiple applications in industrial processing, heating and transportation. Canada’s current nuclear generating stations are potential hubs to such nodes, offering low-cost hydrogen production from off-peak power to support local deployments with possibilities for adoption of SMRs when deployed.
Other organizations committed to the Statement of Principles in the SMR Roadmap are invited to connect with the CHFCA to explore opportunities for collaboration.
ACTIONS
DEMONSTRATION AND DEPLOYMENT
Hydrogen Production & Deployment Demonstration
STATUS: UPCOMING
Responds to SMR Roadmap recommendation(s): 46
ACTIONS
Demonstration of CNL technology for high temperature thermochemical process for hydrogen production at Chalk River or customers’ sites.
EXPECTED RESULTS
Improved efficiency and lower cost.
INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS AND MARKETS
International Missions and Events
STATUS: IN PROGRESS
Responds to SMR Roadmap recommendation(s): 34
ACTIONS
Engage more companies in Canada’s nuclear industry as members of the CHFCA, involving in regional node development, international events.
EXPECTED RESULTS
Projects integrating SMR (and other nuclear facilities) with hydrogen production and applications.
International companies and countries are made aware that Canada has world-leading SMR technology to complement its world-leading hydrogen and fuel cell technology.