Fortescue and HTEC to build Canadian green hydrogen supply chain

Green energy and metals company Fortescue has announced it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Vancouver-based HTEC to develop offtake opportunities for green hydrogen. The deal will see Fortescue and HTEC work together to explore building Canada’s first domestic green hydrogen supply chain that is co-located with an export facility in British Columbia (BC), while generating significant economic activity, jobs and training opportunities.

Fortescue is proposing the development of a green hydrogen and green ammonia production facility in Prince George. An Initial Project Description was filed with the BC Environmental Assessment Office in September 2023.

Under the terms of the MOU, HTEC would offtake green hydrogen from Fortescue’s site to facilitate the growth of the green hydrogen transportation market.

“This is a big step towards building Canada’s first domestic green hydrogen supply chain, which will not only help meet ambitious emissions targets, but also generate significant economic activity, jobs and training opportunities,” said Fortescue Canada Country Manager Stephen Appleton. “We commend the governments of Canada and British Columbia for their vision to establish a globally significant green hydrogen sector and look forward to continuing our discussions with them toward securing this investment.”

HTEC President and CEO Colin Armstrong said: “As the company that built Canada’s first hydrogen fuelling station network, HTEC is pleased to work with Fortescue Energy to maximise the domestic emissions reduction potential of its proposed BC production facility.

“This MOU would support HTEC’s growing network of hydrogen fuelling stations with a reliable, domestic source of zero emission hydrogen.”

Specific details of the offtake commitments will be defined during the negotiation of definitive agreements and will be subject to the feasibility assessment and final investment decisions of both parties with respect to the production facility and HTEC’s hydrogen fuelling station network in BC.

Both parties are working on local market development to maximise the domestic emissions reduction potential of the project. This work is well underway, aimed at securing strategic partnerships with utilities, heavy industry, fleet operators, vehicle manufacturer, and technology providers to ensure that all key elements of the hydrogen value chain are present to support both parties’ initiatives.

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