3. Hydrogen Market Development at Scale

For the advance of technology and its placing on the market, the development of systems of standardization, regulation and approval is of vital importance, as well as determining the precise legal and regulatory aspects to ensure the correct operation and safety of the user of the technology. These will be the channels and the tools to define the appropriate regulations on the use of hydrogen and its applications.

There are several overlapping sets of policies and regulations that could affect the development of the hydrogen sector in each province or territory. Depending on where in the supply chain, the geographic location, technologies, and players involved, the regulation and policy impacts will be different. Policies and regulations can be classified across several dimensions including mandate scope (e.g., federal, provincial, municipal), value chain process or element (e.g., production, distribution, end-use), and type (e.g., policies, programs, regulations).

The Hydrogen Valleys Partnership falls within this context. Fuel cells and hydrogen (FCH2) technologies have the potential to play a key role in this energy transition process. Indeed, fuel cells and hydrogen provide a safe and competitive zero-emission solution for a growing number of applications, when produced as “green hydrogen” with renewable energy sources. By providing means of storage, hydrogen solves, in conjunction with other technologies, the imbalance between energy supply and demand, therefore avoiding energy waste and facilitating the integration of renewable energies within the energy grid.

The key objectives of the partnership are the following:

1. Develop the technological readiness and the commercial availability of FCH2 applications
2. Overcome the lack of access to information and expertise in the field hydrogen
3. Strengthen the value chain for FCH2 technologies via interregional cooperation

Thematic working areas

• Sectoral integration (Production of green hydrogen/Storage/Distribution of hydrogen)
• Zero emission mobility