First hydrogen fuel station opens on Vancouver Island in Canada

The first public hydrogen fuel station on Canada’s Vancouver Island has opened in Saanich, according to an official announcement from the British Columbia government.

The hydrogen fuel station is located at an Esso gas station. It is a component of a larger partnership that exists between the 7-Eleven convenience store chain and the Hydrogen Technology and Energy Corporation (HTEC), which is based in Vancouver, British Columbia.

We are working to expand our hydrogen-fuelling network to encourage more British Columbians to make the switch to a cleaner vehicle,” said British Columbia Energy Minister Bruce Ralston in a news release.

“The adoption of hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles and fuelling infrastructure will complement the build out of our electric-vehicle charging infrastructure and play a critical role in helping us achieve our legislated zero-emission vehicle targets and in our transition to a clean-energy future.”

The CleanBC Go Electric program provided the provincial funding to the project. Another $1 million in funding was provided through the alternative fuel deployment initiative from the federal government’s Natural Resource Canada.

“Cutting our transportation emissions is one of the most important things we can do in the fight against climate change,” said Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson in a recent news statement on the subject.

According to Colin Armstrong, president of the HTEC, this new location is the fourth that the company has in operation within the province. Moreover, it intends to launch a number of new locations in the next few months.

The expansion of the public hydrogen fuel station network throughout the province will help to support the use of H2 powered vehicles. The more locations are available, the more practical it will be to operate a vehicle powered by the zero carbon-emission fuel.

7-Eleven Canada Vice President Norman Hower said that the company’s goal is to decrease the carbon emissions produced by its locations by 100 percent (when compared to their 2013 levels) by 2050.