Advancing Hydrogen — Competition One

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Call for Proposals

Building a hydrogen economy while leveraging Alberta’s existing natural resources and human capacity in the hydrogen economy is a critical component of innovation in the province.

The Advancing Hydrogen — Competition One program is the first round of funding available under the Hydrogen Centre of Excellence. The centre was announced on April 26, 2022, receiving $50 million in funding from the Government of Alberta as an important delivery mechanism for the policy pillars outlined in the Alberta Hydrogen Roadmap.

Funded projects will activate the centre’s objectives of:

• Developing and deploying hydrogen-focused technologies;
• Strengthening Alberta’s environmental, social, and corporate governance credentials while spurring economic growth;
• Building a sustainable and self-sufficient clean hydrogen economy in Alberta; and
• Increasing Alberta’s technology strength in clean hydrogen technology deployment.

Alberta’s Hydrogen Roadmap

The program is directed towards developing projects that support goals outlined in Alberta’s Hydrogen Roadmap following the identification of hydrogen as an emerging market in the Natural Gas Vision and Strategy.

Funding aims to achieve the integration of clean hydrogen into Alberta’s domestic energy system for use in mobility, heat, power generation, and renewable energy storage, and industrial applications, in addition to establishing the province as a major global supplier in clean energy exports. Projects that contribute towards the Hydrogen Roadmap outcomes and targets will be considered within the scope of this competition.

The first round of funded Advancing Hydrogen — Competition One projects will accelerate the adoption of hydrogen into the economy and focus on filling gaps which have been identified throughout the innovation process, from production to end use.

Projects will develop technologies that grow Alberta’s green economy, improve oil sands efficiency, support economic diversification, and reduce GHG emissions.

Program Details

Projects that meet the program eligibility criteria will be considered for funding. Up to $20 million is available over 24 months for Advancing Hydrogen — Competition One. Funding requests can be up to, but not exceed, $2 million.

Proposed projects should have a clear and direct pathway to creating tangible impacts in Alberta. The program is designed for technologies and solutions that are currently within a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) range of 3 – 6; namely beyond the conceptual stage but not advanced enough to be fully commercialized. Front End Engineering and Design (FEED) Studies for TRL 7+ will be considered.

Projects should be able to show direct measurable benefits, or to quantify indirect benefits, in at least one of the following areas:

• Hydrogen production;
• Transmission/storage/transportation/dispensing;
• Storage (mobile, surface, and subsurface);
•  End use (residential, commercial, and industrial); and
• Export.

Introductory Webinar

An introductory webinar for potential applicants was held on July 28, 2022 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM MST. The webinar included a presentation and a question and answer session.

The PDF slide presentation is available here. A recording of the webinar can be viewed below. 

Application Process

Submissions to the Advancing Hydrogen — Competition One program will be evaluated using a two-stage application process. Proposals should be submitted electronically using the Intake form managed via the SmartSimple online intake system.

Competition Timeline

*All dates subject to change at Alberta Innovates’ sole discretion.

Close of Intake Proposal Submissions

September 6, 2022 at 5:00 p.m. MST

Program Resources

• Program Guide
• Investment Agreement Template

More Information

For specific questions regarding technical issues with proposal submissions using the SmartSimple online system, please contact:

GMSSupport@albertainnovates.ca

To discuss eligibility for this program or for specific questions regarding this program and guide: