Cape Breton port touted as future clean fuel hub of eastern Canada

POINT TUPPER, N.S. – A Cape Breton vitality storage terminal that lately offered for $76.9 million will probably be developed into the clear gasoline hub of Jap Canada, in line with the brand new house owners of the Level Tupper facility.

The positioning’s former proprietor, Texas-based liquid storage and pipeline operations big NuStar Power L.P., closed the sale of the Level Tupper facility late final week. The terminal, as soon as a part of the ill-fated Gulf oil refinery that was each established and closed down within the Seventies, was bought by EverWind Fuels LLC, a self-described developer of inexperienced hydrogen and ammonia manufacturing, storage services and related transportation belongings.

The sale was introduced earlier this week when EverWind issued an announcement declaring its intent to increase and improve the Port Tupper web site into an operation that features new inexperienced hydrogen and ammonia manufacturing services. Firm CEO Trent Vichie mentioned the endeavor is anticipated to create new clear vitality jobs, assist Nova Scotia in its efforts to satisfy carbon emissions discount targets and set up the province as a world chief in inexperienced hydrogen manufacturing for each home and export markets.

“The event of inexperienced hydrogen is a vital device within the battle in opposition to local weather change and its significance is rising,” mentioned Vichie, the Australian-born and raised businessman in an interview from New York the place he has resided for greater than 20 years.

“The enlargement of the Level Tupper web site will assist important financial improvement within the area that may appeal to billions of {dollars} in new funding, create new jobs and assist make Nova Scotia and Canada leaders on this thrilling business.”

THE DETAILS

The EverWind Fuels web site claims its workforce consists of former executives from Stonepeak, Blackstone, Emera and Nova Scotia Energy, who’ve collectively owned and operated greater than $30 billion in infrastructure belongings.

The enlargement of the oil storage facility, situated south of the Canso Causeway and the city of Port Hawkesbury on 1,400 acres within the Level Tupper Heavy Industrial Park, is scheduled to start later this 12 months when building will begin on Part 1 of the undertaking. 

That section is anticipated to be in operation by the top of 2023, whereas the second enlargement section is estimated to be in operation by 2027. EverWind said that the primary inexperienced hydrogen may truly be produced in Level Tupper by as early as 2025. The corporate estimated that the undertaking will scale back home and worldwide carbon emissions by greater than 4 million tonnes every year.

Vichie mentioned he’s not but sure as to what number of new jobs will probably be created. The positioning is presently operated by a workforce of about 70 highly-qualified staff.

“In reality, the workforce that’s there now is without doubt one of the elements that made Level Tupper so interesting,” he mentioned.

“We received an on-site workforce there is filled with top-quality individuals who have been doing it for a very long time. They’ve an incredible monitor report in terms of security. They’re native, they know the place and they’re simply actually good folks. And they’re enthusiastic about what we’re going to be doing with the positioning.”

The corporate additionally said will probably be working with various companions together with Hatch, a world engineering and improvement administration agency, NEL, a world manufacturing, storage and distribution specializing in hydrogen and electrolyzers, and KBR, one other worldwide agency that provides applied sciences for inexperienced ammonia manufacturing.

WHAT IS GREEN HYDROGEN?

Hydrogen would be the world’s most considerable component, nevertheless it hasn’t precisely been straightforward to tame. The normal methodology is to extract the hydrogen from water, however that has proved to be something however environmentally pleasant as a result of course of’s appreciable CO2 emissions.

Now, through the use of renewable sources of vitality, similar to wind or photo voltaic, the electrolysis course of is significantly cleaner because it doesn’t emit greenhouse gases. Inexperienced hydrogen can be utilized as gasoline for autos, cooking, house heating, and the manufacturing of different clear fuels together with inexperienced ammonia and methanol.

WHY POINT TUPPER?

Together with the 1,400-acre web site, the present Port Tupper infrastructure features a tank farm with a liquid storage capability of seven.7-million barrels. There may be additionally obtainable electrical energy and recent water.

The realm has present rail loading services and an ice-free, deep-water port that may accommodate the most important sea-going vessels on this planet. The port grew to become ice-free year-round following the completion of the Canso Causeway in 1955.

Different key elements that make Level Tupper a beneficial location consists of its proximity to lands appropriate for wind farms, the aforementioned pool of highly-skilled native labour and straightforward connectivity to the Nova Scotia Energy grid.

“The positioning additionally has the correct zoning as a result of there has historically been heavy business there and there’s a lot of infrastructure there already in place,” mentioned Vichie.

“It suppose it’s the very best web site in Nova Scotia.”

LOCAL REACTION

Phrase of the storage facility’s sale is, in fact, excellent news for the native economic system.

“It is smart to arrange right here as a result of we have now such nice services together with the deepwater port,” mentioned Strait and Space Chamber of Commerce govt director Misty Macdonald. 

“I perceive that they may proceed to function the ability because it was whereas they work on getting their greener vitality undertaking up and operating,” she mentioned.

“It’s undoubtedly excellent news. And it’s sign as a result of so lots of our companies depend on fossil fuels and everyone knows that the deadlines for the phase-out of fossil fuels are approaching quick. That is a part of a greener future with a steady economic system for the Strait space.”

– David Jala is the enterprise reporter for the Cape Breton Publish. Observe him on Twitter @CBPost_David.