Hexagon Purus has opened new engineering and manufacturing facility for battery and hydrogen storage systems in Kelowna, Canada.
This marks Hexagon Purus’ second facility opening this year, following the successful launch of a new hydrogen cylinder production facility in the United States.
The 60,000 square foot facility in Canada will be responsible for producing over 1,000 battery systems for heavy-duty vehicle applications and is expected to employ up to 150 engineers and assembly technicians. According to Todd Sloan, EVP at Hexagon Purus, the new facility will not only serve as a highly automated battery pack production site but also as a technical center of excellence for everything zero-emission focused.
The transportation sector is responsible for around 20% of annual carbon emissions globally, and hydrogen plays a significant role in reducing emissions from this sector as well as other “hard to abate” sectors. Making green hydrogen available for use in the transportation sector is essential to reducing carbon emissions.
Hydrogen is a key player in the energy transition and is gaining momentum globally. More than 30 countries have released hydrogen roadmaps, and over $70 billion in government funding has been committed to hydrogen investments. Additionally, 500 large-scale hydrogen projects have been announced by the industry to date, and green hydrogen is projected to supply up to 25% of the world’s energy needs by 2050.
However, the production of green hydrogen is not yet economically feasible at scale, and blue hydrogen, which is produced from fossil fuels such as natural gas, remains a viable alternative. While blue hydrogen does not produce CO2 emissions at the source, the process of capturing and safely storing the CO2 produced during its production remains a challenge. Additionally, the market has yet to determine how blue hydrogen will be valued compared to green hydrogen.
The opening of Hexagon Purus’ new zero-emission solutions facility in Canada is a step in the right direction towards reducing carbon emissions in the transportation sector. As the world continues to focus on combating climate change, companies like Hexagon Purus will play a critical role in driving the energy transformation towards a more sustainable future.
