2024 Winners

The Hydrogen Mobility Award recognizes innovative advancement in tackling some of the challenges in hydrogen mobility including reducing cost, increasing energy efficiency, longer ranges and how to increase refueling station infrastructure. Submissions can include all forms of transportation (cars, trucks, ships, and trains). The category is open to innovative equipment, processes, or digital applications.

Winner is: ALSTOM

Alstom’s Coradia Ilint, First Hydrogen Train in the Americas 

Alstom’s Coradia iLint hydrogen-powered train is the first train ever to carry passengers in the Americas. It carried more than 10,000 passengers in a demonstration project in the Province of Quebec from mid-June to the end of September 2023. This hydrogen fuel cell-powered train emits only water, produces its electricity through green hydrogen made from renewable resources in the province, and is designed for non or partially electrified lines. The iLint enables sustainable train operation while ensuring the highest levels of performance and comfort. This project sets the foundation for a comprehensive, safe, and efficient hydrogen ecosystem for the rail transportation sector in North America, including production, refueling and operation. 

The Hydrogen Technology: Equipment or Process Controls Award recognizes highly disruptive innovations in equipment that have had a major impact on hydrogen efficiency, emissions, economics, scheduling, or quality. This category also acknowledges products or services specific to controls that make a positive impact to the hydrogen industry. All technologies in this category should be at either: initial production and rollout, full production mode, or commercial (post-pilot). If the underlying solution is digital, it should be submitted under the Hydrogen Digital Innovator Award category.

Winner is: Hydrogen Optimized Inc.

RuggedCell™ High-Power Water Electrolysis System

Hydrogen Optimized’s innovative high-power RuggedCell™ water electrolysis system provides low-cost clean hydrogen at the scale needed to decarbonize major, hard-to-abate industries. It is targeted to chemical and industrial applications such as ammonia plants; fleet mobility applications such as trucking; and energy and utility applications including natural gas blending.  The patented RuggedCell™ is unique among water electrolyzer systems for its unipolar architecture, which builds on the proven Stuart technology platform with new innovations in high-power electrolysis. The innovations are designed to achieve the lowest levelized cost of clean hydrogen at large scale while also delivering attributes that are critical to large-scale clean hydrogen project developers. These include dynamic power response for use with renewable electricity sources; minimal efficiency loss over a 20-year lifespan; and low-cost on-site maintenance.

The Hydrogen Project Award recognizes small, medium, and large-scale projects globally. Projects in this category will be judged on technological advancement and impact on the community. All projects entered will need to be either completed within the 2023/2024 time period or will be projected to be completed or advanced planning stage by the end of 2024 in order to be considered.

Winner is: ATCO

ATCO Gas’ Fort Saskatchewan Operating Centre: North America’s First Pure Hydrogen Heated Building and Energy Discovery Centre

ATCO Gas and Pipelines is in the process of commissioning the first 100% hydrogen heated building in North America: the Fort Saskatchewan Operating Centre. Less than two years after commissioning the ATCO Hydrogen Blending Project, ATCO is now pushing the boundaries of pure hydrogen. In collaboration with Gradient Thermal, ATCO funded the development of North America’s first 100% hydrogen boilers which heat the building and are fuelled with hydrogen produced by an onsite electrolyzer. Beyond its primary heating system, the site was designed to be a world-class demonstration space, accelerating the development of technologies using pure hydrogen, and hydrogen to natural gas blends. The building is equipped with eight tailored demonstration bays, each featuring access to a variety of energy mixes and utilities, as well as extensive controls for appliance testing, data acquisition, and safety monitoring. Overall, it is a unique building that will give ATCO, Alberta, and North America a dedicated space to connect technology developers, industry, policymakers, and the public, with the future of hydrogen.

The Hydrogen Digital Innovator Award recognizes novel digital technologies advancing the hydrogen industry. All technologies in this category should be at stages of initial production and rollout, full production mode, or commercial (postpilot stage). This category is open to digital technology concepts that are less than five years old and are considered “game changers” in the energy industry.

Winner is: SAIT, Mohawk College, Lambton College, Nova Scotia Community College, and Holland College 

Hydrogen Microcredentials for Hydrogen-fueled Operations

As the energy sector examines the role that hydrogen plays as a tool to decarbonize global energy supplies, hydrogen awareness and training are a requisite to enable strategy, infrastructure development, and workforce upskilling.  

Thanks to collaborative efforts with the Canadian Colleges for a Resilient Recovery (C2R2) coalition and wide industry engagement, two micro-credentials have been jointly developed by leading institutions across Canada:  

- Mohawk College in Hamilton, ON  

- Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) in Calgary, AB 

- Lambton College in Sarnia, ON 

- Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) in Halifax, NS 

- Holland College in Charlottetown, PEI    

C2R2 comprises 14 colleges, cégeps, institutes, and polytechnics nationwide, all dedicated to sustainability and helping to prepare workers for the transition to hydrogen-fueled power for industrial processing. This innovative digital educational product, now launching through a web-based Learning Management System (LMS), offers valuable workforce upskilling to support learning and professional development of a pan-Canadian network of industry professionals. 

The resulting micro-credentials, 'Hydrogen Awareness and Understanding for Process-Related Occupations' and 'Entry-Level Technical Applications in Hydrogen for Process Occupations,' cater to professionals across diverse industries ranging from manufacturing and energy to chemicals and transportation.   

The 'Hydrogen Awareness and Understanding for Process-Related Occupations' micro-credential, involving 24 hours of study, equips learners with foundational knowledge of hydrogen. This includes an understanding of hydrogen properties, production methods, and safety aspects relevant to process occupations.   

The 'Entry-Level Technical Applications in Hydrogen for Process Occupations' micro-credential offers a comprehensive 48-hour training program. It delves into the principles, applications, and challenges of hydrogen within industrial settings. Learners will also gain insights into effectively and safely integrating hydrogen into existing processes or developing new hydrogen-based processes.  These micro-credentials, accessible online, serve as vital tools for professionals looking to stay ahead in the dynamic energy landscape.

The Emerging Hydrogen Leader Award acknowledges an up-and-coming individual whose efforts have already made a significant contribution to their organization, industry or community that go above and beyond their normal day to day duties. The nominee should stand out in terms of strategic thinking, leadership, community involvement and the pursuit of excellence in their field. The nominees in this category will have been in the energy industry for 10 or less years. Self-nominations are permitted in this category.

Winner is: Natasha Kostenuk, Founder and CEO, Ayrton Energy

Natasha Kostenuk serves as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ayrton Energy, a pioneering company dedicated to the development of groundbreaking LOHC hydrogen technology. In her role, Natasha leads the strategic vision and overall management of the company, driving innovation in the field of hydrogen storage.

The Hydrogen Leader of the Year Award acknowledges an individual whose efforts have made a significant contribution to their organization, industry or community that go above and beyond their normal day to day duties. The nominee should stand out in terms of strategic thinking, leadership, community involvement and the pursuit of excellence in their field. The nominees in this category will have been in the energy industry for 10 or more years. Self-nominations are permitted in this category.

Winner is: Colin Armstrong, President and CEO, HTEC

Colin Armstrong, President and CEO, HTEC, is a professional Mechanical Engineer with more than 30 years of experience within the hydrogen industry. He is a driving force behind the development of BC’s hydrogen station network, opening Canada’s first retail hydrogen fueling station in 2018. In addition, under his leadership HTEC has developed and launched BC’s first large-scale project to use hydrogen and fuel cell technologies in the shipping and transportation sectors and has kicked off BC’s first at-scale electrolyser plant dedicated to the transportation sector.   Prior to founding HTEC, Colin led hydrogen initiatives at Sacré-Davey Engineering, including the $21 million Integrated Waste Hydrogen Utilization Project and the 1,000-kilogram-per-day fueling station project for a fleet of fuel cell buses operating in Whistler. Colin was also an investor and the lead engineer at Dynetek Industries (high-pressure carbon fiber gas storage cylinders) and worked at Ballard Power Systems to develop fuel cell manufacturing systems. He serves on the Board of the Canadian Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association since 2011 and currently chairs Hydrogen BC.