About green hydrogen

Hydrogen is a gas. It’s produced by splitting water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen. When hydrogen is produced using renewable electricity (like wind or solar power), it’s called green hydrogen.

Green hydrogen is a clean burning fuel. There are no greenhouse gas emissions when green hydrogen is produced, stored or burned. By producing green hydrogen and its derivatives here and exporting it, Nova Scotia can help meet the global demand for clean energy options.

Nova Scotia’s Green Hydrogen Action Plan (PDF), launched in December 2023, outlines our roadmap for building a green hydrogen sector.

Green hydrogen may also offer the potential for domestic use in sectors that are difficult to convert from fossil fuels to electricity, including:

• heavy industry – can replace coal and gas to make industrial products, like steel
• transportation – allows long-haul vehicles like trucks, trains and planes to travel farther and refill faster than batteries
• marine shipping – helps ships travel long distances, solving problems batteries can’t easily fix

Benefits of green hydrogen

Green hydrogen offers many benefits to Nova Scotia, including:

• zero-emission fuel – produces only water when used, significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions
• export potential – can be used in Nova Scotia or exported to international markets to help meet global energy needs
• flexibility – can be transported and stored safely for weeks or months (it can meet energy needs in the winter)
• economic growth – offers new jobs, investment opportunities, and strengthens local supply chains
• electrification – can help industrial processes, heavy transportation and the marine sector to use less fossil fuels
• energy security – has the potential to reduce use and reliance on imported fossil fuels, enhancing our energy independence

Nova Scotia’s green hydrogen advantage

Nova Scotia has the resources, infrastructure and expertise to develop a thriving green hydrogen industry, including:  

• abundant resources – world-class onshore and offshore wind energy capacity and access to fresh water
• existing infrastructure – deep water ice-free harbours, well-established port services, a compatible natural gas distribution system, land for facilities, permitted sites and facilities and proximity to key global markets
• experienced personnel – highly competent workforce, supply chain and research community, with expertise in clean and emerging technologies
• strong regulatory framework – environmental protections and safety standards support responsible hydrogen development
• government policy – a goal to license at least 5 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2030, providing power for large-scale hydrogen export projects

Green hydrogen projects

Current projects are using existing supply chains, facilities and sites with existing infrastructure, permits and approvals for industrial use:

• Bear Head Energy – developing green hydrogen and ammonia production facility at Bear Head in the Point Tupper region, targeting export markets and regional decarbonization
• EverWind Fuels – developing green hydrogen and ammonia production facility in Point Tupper, targeting export markets and regional decarbonization
• Nova Sustainable Fuels (formerly Simply Blue Group) – developing a green hydrogen project in Goldboro using sustainable low-grade woody biomass to produce sustainable aviation fuels

Programs driving growth

To grow the green hydrogen sector, Nova Scotia provides various supports:

• funding support – for businesses and communities developing hydrogen projects; the Hydrogen Innovation Program gives producers access to wholesale rates for clean electricity, encouraging domestic hydrogen production
• regulatory support – recent amendments to legislation allow natural gas providers to incorporate lower-carbon fuels like hydrogen into the existing energy infrastructure
• research support – the Green Hydrogen Research Cluster at Dalhousie University’s Clean Technologies Research Institute is studying hydrogen production, utilization, combustion, and socio-economic impacts