Engaging private sector partners early in the planning and design process;
Advancing revenue-based business models, where appropriate; and
Exploring new and innovative approaches to project finance and delivery. (CNW Group/Canada Infrastructure Bank)
Toronto, Ontario – Last Wednesday, the Canada Infrastructure Bank announced the launch of the Charging and Hydrogen Refuelling Infrastructure Initiative (CHRI), which will seek to invest $500 million into the installation of zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) chargers across Canada.
According to the public interest oriented crown corporation, this project aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, accelerate the rollout of ZEV chargers, and hydrogen refuelling stations. Ultimately, these are intended to spur the market for private investment, challenging structural barriers to ZEV adoption.
Currently, most ZEV charging projects focus on EV charging due to their superior energy efficiency. While hydrogen-based systems lack the fuel efficiency and sustainability of electric charging, it is a liquid fuel that can be transported and stored over long distances, a primary factor for consideration among Canadians in more remote communities.
As of August 2022, there were approximately 22,000 public chargers and six hydrogen refuelling stations in Canada–significantly fewer than the forecasted numbers required for widespread ZEV support. Rather than a one time purchase, this long term investment project aims to establish a self-sustaining revenue cycle which delivers large scale charging infrastructure through private sector proponents.
