P.E.I. company investing millions in green energy

A P.E.I. company is making a multi-million dollar investment in green hydrogen as the province works toward becoming net zero by 2040.

Green hydrogen is hydrogen that's produced from renewable energy, such as wind or solar power.

The engineering firm Aspin Kemp & Associates says it's a way to create electricity to heat homes and eventually power trucks, ships and planes with the only emission being water.

"I love P.E.I. because it's such a small jurisdiction, it's independent and it's got the ability to make decisions and be a leader in this type of change," company CEO Jason Aspin told Island Morning host Mitch Cormier.

"It's something that we feel is a critical part of the path forward to get to zero emissions."

Electrolyzer units to arrive in 2024

Aspin Kemp & Associates has partnered with RE-FUEL Renewable Fuelsto purchase two small electrolyzer units from the German company Enapter.

Electrolyzers separate water into hydrogen and oxygen. The units are about the size of shipping containers and are set to be delivered in 2024.

"It's using green energy to produce hydrogen and then you gotta create the demand as well," said Aspin.

"In our agriculture and our transportation, our fisheries, there's all sorts of opportunities to go to net zero."

The two units combined could produce up to 900 kilograms of hydrogen per day. He said the main focus right now is electricity but there are other options too.

"We also see in a fishing boat replacing a diesel engine with a hydrogen engine," said Aspin. "It's going to be more expensive at the start, but as these things become mainstream, the prices will go down."

'We've got to do this'

The company's long-term goal is to help make the Island energy self-sufficient in the areas of heating, transportation, shipping, industryand aviation.

"We don't have a choice as a society basically we've got to do this and hydrogen is a key component of reducing our carbon footprint and getting it down to eventually zero."

Aspin said once the units arrive he is hoping one can be set up in Summerside.

The company is looking at areas like Georgetown or Souris for the other unit.