Edmonton Research Park leading hydrogen innovation

Edmonton is rapidly becoming a hub for research into hydrogen production. With more than $30 billion in new hydrogen projects anticipated in the region, it is already Canada’s largest producer of the gas. IASP member, Edmonton Research Park, is home to projects focussing on hydrogen powered vehicles, delivery of hydrogen to homes and businesses, and the use of hydrogen power as an alternative to electricity from power grid, amongst others. 

One of these projects, led by Dark Matter Materials, is helping to lead the way in the production of cheaper and more environmentally friendly hydrogen through the development of a new methodology for creating hydrogen. Instead of existing methods, which involve extremely high temperatures; leading to significant greenhouse gas emissions, the method developed by Dr. Robin Hamilton, of Dark Matter Materials, involves mixing earth-abundant metals with water. This means that hydrogen can be produced at a much lower temperature, reducing both the cost of, and the greenhouse gas emissions produced by its production. 

The production of hydrogen will play an important part in sustainable innovation, with it being seen as a potential alternative to both fossil fuels and battery power for vehicles and remote communities. The key benefit of hydrogen power is that, when used, all that is produced is heat and water vapour, making it a much more environmentally friendly option. Additionally, when compared to existing battery technology, it is much more suitable for long-distance haulage. 

The topic of low-carbon and smart innovation spaces is one that many IASP members are focusing on. IASP Beijing 2025 even saw a whole session regarding this subject, in which, members such as Kilometro Rosso, shared their own experiences of attempts to tackle the issue of carbon emissions through different initiatives and sustainable uses for hydrogen. 

Examples such as these, are starting to show just how much of an impact Science and Technology Parks (STPs) are having in driving the change towards a more sustainable future. With Edmonton Research Park being the organiser of the 2026 IASP North American Division Event, we hope that more and more STPs will be joining this drive for sustainability.