Hydrogen cars in Kelowna now have a place to fill up after the B.C. Interior's first retail hydrogen refilling station opened recently in Kelowna.
The hydrogen station officially opened on June 30 at the intersection of Spall Road and Harvey Avenue.
Hydrogen Technology and Energy (HTEC) partnered with 7-Eleven Canada to open the company's fifth station, joining four in the Lower Mainland and on Vancouver Island.
“This station is a significant milestone for the hydrogen industry in Canada, and especially B.C.," said Colin Armstrong, HTEC’s president and CEO.
"As we continue to expand HTEC’s station network, deployment and adoption of hydrogen electric vehicles will become a mainstream option. This station not only provides access to a clean alternative fuel option to local Kelowna residents but also enables the possibility of longer road trips within the province. We look forward to adding more stations to our network and making hydrogen one of the most convenient clean fuel options for all."
Natural Resources Canada and the provincial government provided funding to help build the station.
“We’re giving Canadians cleaner transportation options to get to where they need to go by making zero-emission vehicle charging and refuelling infrastructure more accessible," said Jonathan Wilkinson, Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources.
So far, HTEC’s hydrogen station network has dispensed more than 50,000 kilograms of hydrogen and supported the deployment of nearly 300 hydrogen-electric vehicles. HTEC also has plans to open several more stations across the country serving light, medium and heavy-duty transportation.
