A Halifax councilor wants the municipality to look into using hydrogen energy to power transit buses and ferries.

Richard Zurawski called for a report on hydrogen fuel cells at the December meeting of the city’s environment committee. His motion was approved.

“I think this is a perfect time for us to start looking at how we can facilitate something that will sustain us for decades to come in a way that will not trash the environment,” said Zurawski.

Hydrogen fuel cells convert energy into electricity and run vehicles on a battery system similar to that of electric cars, which use lithium batteries. Hydrogen energy produces water — not carbon — when burned.

According to Brant Peppley, a professor of chemical engineering at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ont., bus fleets all over Europe are switching over to hydrogen-powered buses. (Robert Short/CBC)
“You can purchase or lease a hydrogen fuel cell car in Vancouver today,” said Peppley, “The big advantage of hydrogen fuel cells over lithium batteries is you can basically refuel in three minutes instead of waiting to recharge them.”
Peppley believes Nova Scotia could use wind energy to create hydrogen energy, or have it shipped from Quebec where it could be made from hydro power.
Peppley also pointed out that hydrogen has been safely used in Germany’s steel industry for 50 years.

At the December meeting of the Halifax’s environment committee, Councilor Richard Zurawski called for a report on the clean energy technology and his motion was approved.

Zurawski believes that this is the ideal time for the city to begin looking at how it can utilize power that will sustain Halifax for years to come in a way that will not harm the environment.

That being said, Zurawski does understand that switching to hydrogen fuel transit isn’t something that will happen overnight, and is a long-term strategy.

“We could do hydrogen here, it just takes political will power. If we start now, who knows where we will be in 10 or 20 years,” Zuraski said, CBC News reports.