Green Hydrogen Survives Trump’s Trade War, So Far

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Final Up to date on: thirteenth March 2025, 08:56 pm

US-Canadian commerce relations are in tatters on account of the dictator-adjacent Commander-in-Chief who occupies the White Home. Nonetheless, not all cross-border financial exercise has screeched to a halt. A living proof is the formidable North American inexperienced hydrogen plan being hatched by the Montreal-based Canadian startup Charbone Hydrogen in collaboration with the main Swiss legacy engineering agency ABB.

Inexperienced Hydrogen Plan Nixed By Trump …

The inexperienced hydrogen market has proved to be a troublesome nut to crack globally. Although, some traders are nonetheless decided to interrupt by means of. The scenario was not made any simpler within the US on Election Day 2024, when the American citizens determined “sure, why not?” and gifted President Trump with one other alternative to wreck the economic system even sooner than he did the primary time round.

Among the many many federal packages on the Trump chopping block is the formidable $7 billion Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs program. The funds had been a part of the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Legislation, which stipulated a carve-out for pure gasoline throughout the aim of diversifying the nation’s hydrogen provide chain. When the mud settled and the Vitality Division chosen seven Hubs to obtain funding, a lot of the main target turned out to be on inexperienced hydrogen produced by water electrolysis or extracted from biomass and different renewable assets.

Funding for the Clear Hydrogen Hubs program is now up within the air. Nonetheless, different non-public sector stakeholders nonetheless see a inexperienced mild on the finish of the US hydrogen tunnel, and that’s the place the collaboration between ABB and Charbone Hydrogen is available in.

… However ABB And Charbone Have A Plan.

ABB outlined the brand new association in a press assertion on Thursday, emphasizing that it’s going to allow Charbone Hydrogen to pursue inexperienced hydrogen manufacturing alternatives in the US as well as Canada. ABB will take up duty for enhancing power effectivity and reliability on the services amongst a laundry record of different engineering duties, with the assistance of distant monitoring know-how.

The Memorandum of Understanding between the 2 corporations requires as much as 15 modular, plug-and-play inexperienced hydrogen services to be positioned in varied components of the US and Canada over the following 5 years, partly aimed on the present marketplace for hydrogen. Within the US, that primarily means refineries and fertilizer manufacturing. As of 2018, about 70% of the hydrogen produced within the US was utilized by petroleum refiners to cut back the sulfur content material of diesel gasoline amongst different purposes. One other 20% was used for fertilizer manufacturing.

That doesn’t go away a lot room for anything, however ABB and Charbone purpose to leverage inexperienced hydrogen to construct new markets in steelmaking and different heavy industries the place stakeholders are looking for to cut back their carbon emissions. At present, about 95% of hydrogen produced within the US is sourced from pure gasoline. Producers pursuing world markets are on the prowl for a extra sustainable provide chain, whatever the backwards path taken by the White Home.

Extra Inexperienced Vitality For Inexperienced Hydrogen

Among the many obstacles to the 15-facility plan is the supply of the electrical energy to run electrolyzer programs. In spite of everything, inexperienced hydrogen just isn’t optimally inexperienced if the electrolyzer system attracts from a grid combine that features fossil fuels.

ABB signifies that the situation of services might be decided by the provision of renewable assets, following the mannequin demonstrated by Charbone’s Sorel-Tracy inexperienced hydrogen plant close to Montreal. “The facility is expected to be connected to the Hydro-Québec grid by the end of quarter two in 2025, using hydro electricity to power green hydrogen electrolyzers,” ABB explains.

“The plant will create a blueprint for the design and engineering of modular and scalable equipment for other sites being developed by Charbone,” they add.

Extra Cross-Border Inexperienced Hydrogen Collaborations Floor

As famous by ABB, the Quebec authorities is relying on inexperienced hydrogen to realize its decarbonization targets. That has been tossed out the window by US President Trump. Nonetheless, ABB notes that the larger Detroit space has already been tapped as the situation of its subsequent inexperienced hydrogen mission with Charbone. Final 12 months, Charbone indicated that Oakland County was the popular location, in consideration of its access to clean power amongst different elements.

That’s … fascinating. The Norwegian agency Nel ASA has a considerable inexperienced hydrogen footprint in each the US in Canada, and final 12 months Nel additionally lined itself as much as set up a brand new facility within the Detroit space. Although, the corporate is reportedly ready for clarity on US tax credit policy earlier than making a last funding dedication.

To make issues much more fascinating, on March 11, Nel and Samsung E&A (previously Samsung Engineering) introduced a collaborative settlement underneath which Samsung will provide its clients a whole inexperienced hydrogen manufacturing package deal featuring Nel electrolyzerssuggesting follow-on exercise within the US, Canada, or each.

Collateral Harm In US–Canada Commerce Struggle

Inexperienced hydrogen just isn’t the one indication that US–Canada collaboration on clean energy can survive Trump’s misbegotten commerce struggle, no less than for now. The Canadian corporations Electrovaya (power storage), Canadian Photo voltaic (photo voltaic modules and power storage), and Canadian Premium Sand (photo voltaic glass) are amongst these asserting new exercise within the US market in current days and weeks.

One firm that most likely can’t rely on any breaks from Canada is Tesla. As within the US and elsewhere world wide, Tesla gross sales have taken a nosedive in Canada concurrent with the megalomaniac conduct of CEO Elon Musk.

Tesla’s fame in Canada took an extra hit final week, when experiences surfaced that the corporate could also be gaming Canada’s EV rebate program to the tune of $43 million, shutting different carmakers out.

The Canadian utility BC Hydro, for one, has seen sufficient. It has given Tesla merchandise the heave-ho from its EV charging rebate program. Anybody who buys a Tesla dwelling EV charger, power storage system, or inverter from March 12 onward won’t be eligible for its rebates, which vary as much as $350.

BC Hydro posted an advisory to that impact to guide off its on-line rebate data, headlined “Tesla products are not eligible.”

“Government of B.C. and BC Hydro are taking action to preference Canadian goods in our rebate programs going forward and to exclude, where practicable, U.S. produced goods. As of March 12, 2025, Tesla products (electric vehicle chargers, energy storage batteries and inverters) are not eligible for CleanBC and BC Hydro rebates,” BC Hydro emphasised.

Ouch! Earlier this week I requested our readers in the event that they suppose that Tesla’s energy storage business might be hit by the identical elements impacting its EV gross sales. Now Trump’s commerce struggle with Canada has added gasoline to the fireplace.

What do you suppose, is BC Hydro simply the tip of a rising iceberg?

Picture (cropped): Trump’s misbegotten commerce struggle in opposition to Canada however, leading hydrogen stakeholders proceed to collaborate throughout the border on inexperienced hydrogen tasks (courtesy of US Division of Vitality).