Insider Brief
- Calgary has launched the Calgary Region Hydrogen Hub (CRH2) to accelerate hydrogen adoption, targeting $75 million in private investment and over 100 skilled jobs in early phases.
- Managed by the Transition Accelerator, CRH2 will aggregate regional hydrogen demand, first focusing on airports, fleets, rail, and industry, and linking Alberta’s producers with emerging clean fuel markets.
- The initiative aligns with Alberta’s Hydrogen Roadmap and Canada’s national strategy, positioning Calgary to compete in a projected $700 billion global hydrogen economy by mid-century.
Calgary has launched a regional hub that aims to drive investment and job creation while accelerating the development of hydrogen technologies.
The Calgary Region Hydrogen Hub (CRH2), managed by the Transition Accelerator, brings together government, industry, and community stakeholders to build out the city’s hydrogen economy, according to business development non-profit Calgary Economic Development. With a projected global market worth $700 billion annually by mid-century, backers say the region is well-positioned to compete.
“Calgary is a city underpinned by innovation, that has and always will be the energy capital of
Canada, said Brad Parry, President and CEO, Calgary Economic Development and CEO, Opportunity Calgary
Investment Fund. “With a skilled talent pool and forward-thinking businesses, we are strongly positioned to
step forward, aggregate demand for hydrogen and test new energy solutions that can be scaled
globally.”
The CRH2 will work to aggregate demand for hydrogen fuel across the region, linking Alberta’s existing hydrogen producers with local demand centers including airports, transportation fleets, and industrial users, according to the CED. The plan is to support $75 million in private-sector development and create more than 100 skilled jobs in its early phases.
“As Canadians urgently reevaluate our approach to economic security in a rapidly evolving geopolitical environment, combating climate change remains a real priority,” The Transition Accelerator CEO Dan Wicklum said in a statement. “The hydrogen industry presents the Calgary region with the opportunity to simultaneously pursue both objectives, leveraging its established reputation as Canada’s energy leader to secure its competitive position
in a low-carbon future.”
Plans also include the CRH2 serving as a center of collaboration, coordinating research, sharing data, and accelerating market adoption of hydrogen technologies. The hub will initially focus on practical applications including municipal bus fleets, long-haul trucking, railways, and industrial heating.
“Alberta’s hydrogen economy is gaining momentum. Alberta Innovates and its Hydrogen Centre of
Excellence are driving the production, deployment and use of hydrogen, and now the Calgary
Region Hydrogen Hub is bolstering the growth of the hydrogen economy in the Calgary region,” noted Mike Mahon, CEO of Alberta Innovates.
Hydrogen is expected to play a central role in decarbonizing heavy industry and long-distance transportation, two sectors where electricity alone is often not practical. Alberta already produces large volumes of hydrogen from natural gas. CRH2 seeks to build on that base, while developing new, lower-emissions production methods and scaling up regional use.
Modeled on the Edmonton Region Hydrogen Hub launched in 2021, the Calgary initiative has secured over $3 million in funding from Alberta Innovates, Calgary Economic Development, the City of Calgary and Prairies Economic Development Canada. The hub supports Calgary’s climate plan, which targets a 60% cut in emissions by 2030 and net-zero by 2050.
The CRH2 effort is part of a broader push by Canadian policymakers to capitalize on hydrogen’s potential as a clean fuel. It also aligns with Alberta’s Hydrogen Roadmap and the federal Hydrogen Strategy for Canada, both of which envision hydrogen as a critical component of Canada’s energy transition.
