Burnaby – As nations globally move to reduce carbon emissions and shift to non-emitting forms of energy, investing in clean technologies will help ensure Canada remains a global energy leader. Ultra-low carbon sources of energy such as wind, solar, hydro and nuclear power are key to seizing the enormous economic opportunities that are available to Canadians in all regions of the country.
Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, announced a new investment of $1 million from the Energy Innovation Program’s Clean Fuels and Industrial Fuel Switching initiative to Ekona Power Inc. This funding will support Ekona in advancing its methane pyrolysis solution for clean hydrogen production from natural gas. Building on the success of a prior program to develop and test Ekona’s xCaliber™ reactor, which was previously supported by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) through its Breakthrough Energy Solutions Canada Program, this project will support further development of the reactor and expand Ekona’s Burnaby test facility.
Ekona’s solution converts natural gas into hydrogen and solid carbon, which reduces greenhouse gas emissions when compared with other conventional processes used to produce hydrogen. Ekona’s unique pyrolysis reactor uses the principles of combustion and high-speed gas dynamics to dissociate feedstock methane. It is low-cost, scalable and easy to integrate, and it leverages existing natural gas infrastructure to deliver a practical solution that meets the growing demand for clean hydrogen and the needs of Canadian industry.
Ekona’s novel solution has the potential to produce low-cost clean hydrogen while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by up to 90 percent. More broadly, it could enable cost-effective, ultra-low-carbon hydrogen gas production from natural gas within the need to capture and sequester carbon dioxide. This project will also help Ekona build and test its pilot plant, validate performance against commercial targets and explore how this technology can be utilized in British Columbia for decarbonizing the natural gas network.
While we continue to foster economic growth and build Canada’s clean economy, significant investments — such as the one announced — are being made to accelerate the production, distribution and use of clean fuels, including clean hydrogen. These advancements are guided by Canada’s Hydrogen Strategy, which introduced a framework in 2020 to help position Canada as a global supplier and producer of clean hydrogen on our path to net zero by 2050.
“Canada is taking important steps to keep being a clean energy supplier of choice as we drive progress toward a net-zero world. Investing in innovations such as Ekona’s provides opportunities to advance Canada’s hydrogen value chain, create jobs and seize the economic opportunity of growing global demand for hydrogen.” – Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources