The City of Edmonton, alongside partners in the Alberta Zero Emissions Fleet Fuelling (AZEFF) project, have launched the first mobile hydrogen fuelling station in Alberta.
The Azolla Biodrome fuelling station is able to service light-, medium- and heavy-duty fleet vehicles to allow the city and its partners to continue exploring the viability of hydrogen fuel in real-world situations.
This is the first of two fuelling stations that will be operational in Edmonton.
“Today marks an important milestone for the City and our regional partners as we incorporate hydrogen vehicles into our fleets,” said Eddie Robar, City Manager. “This pilot project allows us to develop our hydrogen program while learning what is needed to scale the adoption of hydrogen for municipal fleet vehicles for the Edmonton climate.”
The station will service more heavy-duty fleet vehicles as the City continues to modify them to be dual-fuelled. These include Class-8 semi-trucks and class 7-8 vocational vehicles (dump trucks, plow trucks).
The AZEFF mobile hydrogen fuelling project is a partnership between the City of Edmonton, Strathcona County, Sturgeon County, the provincial government, Emissions Reduction Alberta, the University of Alberta, The Transition Accelerator, Alberta Motor Transport Association and Diesel Tech Industries.
“Sturgeon County is proud to be part of this pioneering initiative in clean energy innovation,” said Gord Cebryk, General Manager of Infrastructure and Operational Service at Sturgeon County. “By exploring hydrogen as a practical solution for heavy-duty fleets, we are taking real steps toward a more sustainable future while supporting local industry and technological advancement,”
The City’s current hydrogen fleet includes one dual-fuel waste collection truck, a dual-fuel transit bus, a hydrogen fuel electric bus and two Toyota Mirai vehicles. A secondary dual-fuel waste truck and dual-fuel transit bus are being converted and added to the list.
Dual-fuel engines have the ability to run on two different fuels, often times hydrogen and diesel.
“This hydrogen fuelling station is a uniquely Albertan project made possible by the innovation and expertise of Alberta’s oil and gas industry. It was built in Alberta, for Alberta,” said Jared Sayers, president and CEO, Azolla Hydrogen.
