Edmonton launches Alberta’s first mobile hydrogen fuelling station, aiming to power the future of fleets
Alberta’s first mobile hydrogen station with $6.9 million funding to pilot zero-emission fleets
Edmonton has officially launched Alberta’s first mobile hydrogen fuelling station, marking a significant milestone in the city’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions and pilot clean energy solutions for municipal fleets.
The mobile station, unveiled Thursday at the city’s Ellerslie facility, is part of the Alberta Zero Emissions Fleet Fuelling (AZEFF) initiative — a regional partnership focused on piloting hydrogen as a viable fuel source for light-, medium- and heavy-duty vehicles.
City manager Eddie Robar, at Thursday’s news conference, said:
We’re excited for the opportunity the mobile fuelling station gives us to inform the future of hydrogen for municipal fleets in Edmonton and Edmonton region, and our continued collaboration and dedication to finding alternative energy sources of work,
“The project represents an opportunity for the city and its regional partners to be at the forefront of hydrogen fuelling technology.”
A first-of-its-kind in Alberta
The Azolla Biodrome, a modular mobile fuelling system, is the first hydrogen fuelling station of its kind in the province. Housed in a mobile trailer, it produces hydrogen on-site using methanol and deionized water, then stores it in 16 steel tanks with a total capacity of 600 kilograms.
The station can fuel approximately 45 light-duty vehicles or 10 transit buses per day and is equipped with Alberta’s first fully compliant hydrogen pump.
Hydrogen fuel is dispensed via a high-pressure compressor and an advanced nozzle that ensures precise pressure alignment — a critical requirement for safety and efficiency. According to the city, the station features smart technology to support fast and accurate fuelling.
Pilot program with real-world testing
The mobile station will initially support Edmonton’s small hydrogen fleet, which currently includes one dual-fuel waste collection truck, one dual-fuel transit bus, one hydrogen fuel cell electric bus, and two Toyota Mirai vehicles. Additional hydrogen vehicles, including a second dual-fuel transit bus and a dual-fuel long-haul waste truck, will be added later.
The pilot is expected to run through 2027, with data gathered on vehicle performance, fuel reliability, and operational logistics.
Robar, said:
Up to now, a lack of reliable hydrogen fuelling infrastructure has represented a major hurdle for diversification of testing hydrogen for municipal fleets.
“The mobile hydrogen fuelling station is designed to address this challenge,”
Arjan Sharma, the city’s branch manager of fleet and facility services, said this isn’t a plug-and-play transition.
He, said:
The City of Edmonton manages more than 6,000 vehicles from buses to garbage trucks to plows and pickups. So adopting new technology isn’t plug and play,
“It takes preparation, knowledge and deep collaboration with industry. This station gives us exactly that.”
A regional and industry-backed effort
The $6.9-million project was funded by Emissions Reduction Alberta (ERA) in April 2024, and involves a broad coalition, including Strathcona County, Sturgeon County, Azolla Hydrogen, Diesel Tech Industries, the Transition Accelerator, Alberta Motor Transportation Association, the University of Alberta, and more.
Gord Cebryk, general manager of infrastructure and operational service with Sturgeon County, in a statement, said:
Sturgeon County is proud to be part of this pioneering initiative in clean energy innovation,
“This project reflects our commitment to collaboration, environmental leadership, hydrogen sector development and long-term economic resilience.”
Kevin Cole, associate commissioner, infrastructure and planning services of Strathcona County, called the pilot “a crucial step in supporting and exploring new technologies in clean energy,” adding that “convenient access to hydrogen fuel” will help “reduce emissions and promote environmental stewardship.”
ERA’s Christophe Owttrim said the pilot is part of the organization’s broader mission to reinvest compliance funds into clean tech.
He, said, noting it shows,
This project is a great example of the initial types of initiatives that we are excited to invest in,
“what’s possible when innovation, collaboration and a commitment to advancing clean technologies comes together with a consortium of strong partners who have a vision for how to get from where we are today to that brighter future.”
Building the playbook for hydrogen in Alberta
Sharma noted that hydrogen adoption is still in its experimental phase in Alberta, though it is being used at larger scales in other parts of the world. He called the project “a proof of concept,” and since hydrogen-powered vehicles make up only a small part of Edmonton’s fleet, the impact on public transit services will be minimal.
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While the fuelling station will not be open to the public during the pilot phase, regional municipal and corporate partners will have access. A second mobile station is expected to launch in northeast Edmonton in 2026, further expanding testing capacity.
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Edmonton launches Alberta’s first mobile hydrogen fuelling station, aiming to power the future of fleets, source
