Trains, buses and trucks: How 2023 could be pivotal for hydrogen technology in Canada

As the Canadian Pacific Railway locomotive moves along the tracks in Calgary, something is clearly amiss.

It's the typical size and look that you'd expect, but what's absent is the low rumbling noise of the diesel engine.

Instead, this locomotive is powered by hydrogen fuel cell and battery technology as part of a trial by the railway to explore whether the low-emission vehicles are strong enough and reliable enough to potentially one day revolutionize operations at the company.

Over the last several years, there has been an increased focus on the potential for hydrogen to decarbonize many industries and help countries reach their climate goals, while revamping energy systems along the way.

The next 12 months will be critical, experts say, in understanding whether that vision could plausibly become a reality in the near future or remain part of the imagination for decades to come.

There is excitement in the Canadian industry about what 2023 will bring as several demonstration projects are set to take place, while construction will also begin on a massive new hydrogen production facility.

For CP Rail, the hydrogen locomotive completed its first "revenue trip" a few months ago with the expectation to have the trains operating in Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary by the end of 2023. The next step will be testing out the technology through the Rocky Mountains.

"It's a perfect test bed. If you can operate there: heavy haul, cold temperatures, the most challenging operational conditions I've ever experienced in my career. And if it works there, it will work everywhere," CP's chief executive, Keith Creel, said during a speech at the RailTrends 2022 conference in November.

"If this proves its mettle and it shakes out through the very tough validation test we'll give it, [it will] truly be transformational for this industry."

Relying on hydrogen as a fuel source isn't a new concept, but technology is advancing to improve performance, at the same time as there is an increased focus on climate change around the world.

This year will mark the start of a few other experiments as hydrogen-powered buses and semi-trucks hit the road.

A pair of transit buses will transport passengers in Edmonton and nearby Strathcona County as part of a one-year pilot project.

Meanwhile, a hydrogen fuelling station is under construction in Edmonton to allow the Alberta Motor Transport Association to test out semi-trucks on the province's highways. The organization is looking to offer up to four different truck models this year for local companies to try out.

"I think the next 12 months is largely a proof of concept," said David Layzell, an energy systems architect with the Transition Accelerator — a non-profit organization set up to help Canada reach its climate goals — and professor emeritus in biological sciences at the University of Calgary.