Calgary’s TC Energy Corp. announced that it is working with US-based Nikola Corp, a company that develops and manufactures heavy-duty commercial battery-electric vehicles and fuel-cell electric vehicles. The companies are studying the feasibility of building a hydrogen manufacturing plant near Crossfield, Alberta. TC Energy currently operates a natural gas storage facility at the site.
Initial production would be 60 tonnes/day of hydrogen, ultimately increasing to 150 tonnes/day using natural gas feedstock. The plan would include the capture and storage of CO2 released by the production process. Because of the capture of the CO2 the output would be classified as “blue” hydrogen.
The hydrogen would be marketed initially in liquid form and transported to customers by truck. TC Energy would subsequently examine whether product could be delivered through one of its extensive pipeline systems. Adapting TC Energy’s existing storage facility into the proposed hub, as well as the possible use of the company’s pipeline system, suggest that the hydrogen industry might benefit from infrastructure that is already in place for other forms of energy.
SOURCE: Sudbury Star – TC Energy/Nikola hydrogen feasibility study