Hydrogen 101

Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the Universe. Hydrogen is a gas that can be used as a fuel to make energy, like gasoline, diesel or propane. Hydrogen atoms can be found in water, oils and many other materials around us. We can easily harvest hydrogen from water. Hydrogen can be separated from the oxygen found in water (H2O) by running electricity through pure water, which splits the molecules into hydrogen and oxygen.

Once the hydrogen is split, separated and stored on its own, it can then be used as a fuel. When hydrogen fuel is made through this process, it is called “Green Hydrogen”. Green hydrogen can replace fossil fuels like diesel and gasoline without releasing carbon emissions and pollution. The only byproduct when it is used it pure water. This will help solve the climate crisis.

Communities seeking economic development opportunities can benefit through being partners in the green energy industry. They would do this by creating the infrastructure for hydrogen production and end use. We at Salish Elements want to see a hydrogen economy in British Columbia that is stewarded and majority owned by Indigenous people, for all people.

Several sites have been looked at by the Xaxli’p Community Liaison. The proposed site is in a potential industrial area in Xaxli’p. This area has been used for human activities in living memory.

The goal is to begin production of the first green hydrogen by the fall season of 2025. At this time, Salish Elements needs to obtain permits for construction and operation, guarantee a hydro power rate, build the necessary components to produce the hydrogen, and purchase equipment.

Salish Elements will take on production facility costs. Funding is coming from a combination of federal/provincial grants specifically for Indigenous green energy projects and private investors. Natural Resources Canada currently has $250 million set aside for Indigenous clean fuel production that could fund 50 percent of the project. Salish Elements is pursuing this funding, and negotiating with a finance partner for the remaining amount needed for construction. The plant is expected to cost about $60,000,000.

As of now, the project is outlined for 25 MW only. However, should the community decide that the project is successful and a benefit to their people, they can expand and produce more hydrogen in the future as market demand grows. The facility could be expanded upon future discussion initiated by the Community

We estimate about 20 full time permanent jobs being created. In addition, up to 30 temporary or part time jobs would be needed at the time of construction. These would be in skilled trade, operations and maintenance, engineering and management. Salish Elements will also facilitate training programs for hydrogen technologies.

The hydrogen will be loaded and stored into larger tanker trailers that will transport and deliver the hydrogen to fueling stations and customers who need it. There will be small temporary storage on site for the hydrogen, but the majority will be loaded into trailers and take off-site as it is produced. Hydrogen is the lightest element in the universe and disperses quickly into the atmosphere if it leaks. It does not spill into soil and water and does not cause pollution. If ignited, the hydrogen burns very rapidly and empties out very fast. Testing by the Canadian Safety Association demonstrated that hydrogen is safer to store than gasoline.

The economic benefits will be shared equitably based upon contributions to project success. Salish Elements values community ownership and benefits that will be shared amongst community members who’ve contributed and supported the success of the project. The wider global community and the environment will also benefit significantly as we rely less on fossil fuels and develop clean energy projects like this.

Indigenous First Nations and remote communities that rely on diesel, as well as heavy haul transportation fleets running in interior and Northern B.C will use the fuel in the short term and long term.

We will complete an environmental assessment driven and reviewed by Xaxli’p Council to advise us on how to best proceed to protect fish migration. As very little water would be taken from the Fraser River compared to overall river flow, we don’t anticipate creating any obstacles for salmon and other fish in the river. The water intake will be designed and engineered in a way that will not be an obstacle to fish migration, or harm any fish – For example, we will place protection nets around the water intake so fish are not swimming near it. It will also not be placed in an area where fish are spawning or feeding. Once the detailed environmental assessment is complete, however, Salish Elements will have more information and specifics to share about how we will protect fish and the exact measures in place that will ensure additional protections for wildlife.

The Fraser River at its lowest flows at a rate of 27 billion litres per day (320 cubic meters per second) and the hydrogen production plant would use 100 cubic meters per day. This is less than 0.04 percent. The water usage is equal to running the volume of running one garden hose. It does not appear that low river flow will create an issue. There is also potential for storage of water during periods of high river water, which can reduce or eliminate water usage in between fishing runs. The detailed environmental assessment will provide more guidance into working with the available water and eliminating potential impact on fisheries.

Salish Elements will ensure there is enough space for bighorn sheep, cattle and horses to roam in the area. We will ensure there are safe routes for animals to migrate without obstacles. There will be very little noise generated from the facility. Including sound insulation in the building design will further prevent noise pollution. Salish Elements is working closely with the Xaxli’p council to ensure an environmental assessment is completed that will capture any potential impacts to existing wildlife in the area. We aim to create as small an impact as possible while still creating community value.

While 100,000 litres may sound like a lot, to give some perspective, an Olympic swimming pool holds between 2,500,000 litres and 4,000,000 litres of water. It would take over a month to fill an Olympic sized pool using the water consumption of the hydrogen plant. In comparison, the Fraser River flows at 27 billion litres per day at its lowest, which can fill over 8000 Olympic swimming pools in one day. The design of the water intake will guarantee the fish will be protected from any water being pumped. Additionally, we will ensure through the environmental assessment that the pump location will be far away from any salmon spawning locations. 

The only byproduct is pure oxygen, which we all breath and trees release into the atmosphere. There will be no wastewater generated by the operation. Any native dirt, mud or natural minerals will be filtered from the water and returned to the environment.

100 thousand litres a day, 700 thousand a week, 3 million a month, 36.5 million a year. To compare, Nestle uses 265 million litres of pure, clean spring drinking water a year, with no benefit to the surrounding communities.

From 100,000 litres of water, we can generate enough hydrogen to be able to fuel at least 100-150 heavy duty trucks running daily. One third of the hydrogen produced could power a remote community of about 5,000 people with some commercial and industrial activity.

Yes! The process of running electricity through water (electrolysis) is completely self contained in a secure unit called an electrolyser. This is commercially available technology that has been used for years. An electrolyser is basically a vessel that runs an electric current through the water, separating hydrogen from oxygen. The vessel and piping are made from advanced materials, and welded stainless steel to prevent corrosion and leaks.

The plant would produce 10,000 kg a day of hydrogen stored in cold compressed gas tankers for up to one or two days before being transported for consumer use. To use cold compressed gas engineers have implemented safety features such as: leak detection, ventilation, and pressure release devices for storage tankers to prevent any incidents from occurring. Employees would need to be trained on safely handling compressed hydrogen before being cleared to work and safety standards and plans will be put into place to ensure a safe workplace following national guidelines and any other guidelines community leadership sees fit to follow.