Canada has launched a new programme with a $10m investment in a bid to support the growth of the country’s zero-emission bus transportation range with hydrogen expected to be included.
The decarbonisation of road transportation is a vital sector to achieve net zeros and electrification of buses could be an important avenue to explore to achieve net zero targets.
Hydrogen and fuel cells present an additional opportunity to achieve this and, with green hydrogen becoming cost-competitive, it is becoming more attractive in the mobility sector.
With this, it is no surprise that hydrogen is expected to be included within this new funding and could be a crucial technology in the years to come.
Specifically, the Canadian Government is investing $10m through the Zero Emission Transit Fund over five years to allow CUTRIC to work with transit bus operators to complete planning work, and bolster readiness to transition to zero emission transit bus fleets.
As well as this, the group’s work will additionally work with communities in a bid to convert existing bus fleets to hydrogen and fuel cells.
Jennifer O’Connell, Parliamentary Secretary to the Canadian Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities, said, “Investments in zero emission buses help reduce pollution, support Canadian manufacturing, and is an important step in meeting our 2050 target.
“We are proud to partner with CUTRIC to give transit operators the support they need to transition to zero emission buses and more sustainable technologies.”
JosipaPetrunić, President & CEO, Canadian Urban Transit Research & Innovation Consortium, said, “Electric and hydrogen technologies are complicated and costly. Transit agencies need the right models to predict how electric and hydrogen buses will work in their communities and what they will cost.
“This is a critical juncture in Canada’s history on climate action. This program will take transit agencies from ground zero – not knowing where to start – through to full fleet electrification and decarbonisation readiness. It will set the country on a pathway towards zero-emission transit systems for the 21st century.”
