'First-of-its-kind' green hydrogen facility moves ahead at Kruger Kamloops Pulp Mill

Green hydrogen at pulp mill

Photo: Castanet

FILE - The Kruger Kamloops Pulp Mill

A proposed "first-of-its-kind" green hydrogen production facility located at the Kruger Kamloops Pulp Mill is taking steps forward.

Sc.wenwen Economic Development, Tk’emlups te Secwépmc’s economic development arm, has partnered with Elemental Clean Fuels and Kruger on the $21.7 million project, called the Kamloops Clean Energy Centre.

In a news release, Sc.wenwen said the facility will produce up to four tonnes of green hydrogen and 32 tonnes of oxygen per day.

It said the hydrogen produed is expected to reduce the mill’s natural gas use by 16 per cent, reducing about 7,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually, and a portion of the oxygen will be reused directly in the mill process.

The release said the Clean Energy Centre also supports future hydrogen blending opportunities. Sc.wenwen said the project is enabled by B.C.’s Clean Energy Act.

The project has completed initial feasibility work and is now in the front-end engineering and design stage before final investment decisions are made.

Feasibility and engineering work is being supported by Natural Resources Canada, BC Hydro and the project’s partners.

The project’s proponents say they are working closely with FortisBC to establish a potential offtake agreement, which Sc.wenwen said will be "critical" to bringing the project to a positive final investment decision.

In the release, Kúkwpi7 Rosanne Casimir said the centre reflects her band’s “commitment to sustainability, economic self-determination, and highlights our leadership in advancing innovative, local clean energy solutions.”

Kruger Kamloops Pulp Mill general manager Irene Preto said “sustainability drives every decision we make” and its partnership with Tk’emlups and Elemental Clean Fuels on the project will advance clean energy solutions for the benefit of the environment and local economy.