Blackjacks Roadhouse unveils Alberta’s first commercial H₂ fueling station. This project is the beginning of an expanded H₂ fueling network across Western Canada, which aims to solve the H₂ economy’s “chicken or the egg” dilemma—enabling fueling infrastructure to keep pace with demand.

Supported by PrairiesCan and made possible by joint collaboration from key stakeholders including the Alberta Motor Transport Association, Nikola Motor Canada Inc., a subsidiary of Nikola Corporation, Suncor, Leduc County, Emissions Reduction Alberta, and Blackjacks Roadhouse, this project is a demonstration of the collective efforts from across the Edmonton region and beyond, to accelerate the H₂ economy. The Edmonton region is moving aggressively to take advantage of the H₂ opportunity for Canada.

The HYLA fueling station, representing Nikola Corporation’s energy brand, will be situated along Highway 2 in Leduc County, Alberta. Highway 2 is a vital transportation corridor linking Alberta’s two largest urban centers— the Edmonton region and Calgary. This station will play a key role in decarbonizing one of Western Canada’s busiest highways, with approximately 96,000 vehicles passing by Blackjacks Roadhouse daily. Moreover, it will help meet the fueling needs of the Nikola H₂ fuel cell electric vehicles destined for the Canadian market and ensure a seamless and reliable refueling experience for H₂-powered vehicles in the Edmonton region. 

The ultimate goal of the 5,000 H₂ Vehicle Challenge is to get 5,000 H₂-powered or dual-fuel-H₂ vehicles on the roads in Western Canada by 2028. Investments into fueling infrastructure and supporting technology are a big part of reaching that goal and achieving the critical mass of vehicles needed to sustainably transition the commercial transportation sector to H₂. 

Clarence Shields, owner and operator of Blackjacks Roadhouse, is making substantial investments in the project, underscoring his belief that H₂ is Alberta’s future, and demonstrating the impact private industry can have on accelerating the H₂ economy. 

The HYLA modular fueler uses a 700-bar pressure-fill system—allowing H₂ fuel supplied by Suncor to be compressed into smaller volumes and dispensed into onboard storage for long-range vehicles like trucks, busses, and cars. And as demand for H₂ grows, the goal is to replace the modular fueler with a permanent facility and relocate it to expand the HYLA fueling network across Alberta. 

As Alberta remains the leading producer of H₂ in Canada, initiatives like these reinforce the role H₂ will play in achieving Canada’s net-zero goals by 2050, particularly in difficult-to-decarbonize sectors, like heavy-duty trucking. The 5,000 H₂ Vehicle Challenge isn’t just for large organizations; it’s an opportunity for everyone to come together to de-risk the transition to H₂.