On May 14, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador released its Hydrogen Development Action Plan. The Plan outlines the province’s strategy to develop green hydrogen for domestic use and export and provides 31 action items to accomplish over the next three years, to enable this emerging industry to grow in the province.

This Hydrogen Development Action Plan complements the province’s Renewable Energy Plan (2021) and Climate Action Plan (2019).

The Hydrogen Development Action Plan breaks down action items into four pillars: export and domestic markets; partnership, innovation and industry support; training and jobs; and, regulator framework.

Some action items include:

  • Within one year:
    • Partner with the federal government and other jurisdictions on hydrogen safety regulation standardizations.
    • Begin to update and implement provincial legislation and policy to provide a clear regulatory framework for wind-hydrogen projects.
    • Establish a Green Hydrogen Network that assists in providing a coordinated approach to hydrogen development in Newfoundland and Labrador.
  • Within two years:
    • Assess natural geological features that may be used for hydrogen/ammonia storage.
    • Work with industry and other stakeholders to support hydrogen workforce development, including identifying gaps, and developing a workforce attraction and retention strategy for the sector that promotes equality, diversity, and inclusion.
    • Launch a K-12 awareness campaign to promote jobs relevant to the hydrogen sector as a career choice.
  • Within three years:
    • Begin to implement new hydrogen codes and standards developed in cooperation with the Federal Government and other jurisdictions in Newfoundland and Labrador to close any gaps identified for new hydrogen processes and uses.

The full list of action items are available on pages 31 – 34 of the Hydrogen Development Action Plan.

The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador has already taken several steps to develop opportunities to produce clean hydrogen and ammonia including:

  • Cooperating with the federal government to expand the mandate of the Canada–Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board (C-NLOPB)
  • Helped launch the Regional Assessment of Offshore Wind Development with the federal government
  • Signed a MOU with the federal government to allow the provincial government to take the regulatory lead on offshore wind projects within its inland bays
  • Lifted the moratorium on commercial wind energy projects held a Crown lands bids process which were awarded to four wind energy projects:
    • Toqlukuti’k Wind and Hydrogen (ABO)
    • EverWind NL Company
    • Exploits Valley Renewable Energy Corporation (EVREC)
    • World Energy GH2
    • * Argentia Renewables Wind LP (Pattern) may apply for Crown land within this limited reserve should it be required
  • Introduced a Greem Technology Tax Credit (20%) for capital costs
  • Developing trade partnerships with European ports

To learn more about hydrogen, read Hydrogen 101: https://www.atlanticaenergy.org/hydrogen-101/.

To learn more about the Newfoundland and Labrador’s Hydrogen Development Action Plan, read: https://www.gov.nl.ca/iet/files/Hydrogen-Development-Action-Plan.pdf.