City plans ‘decarbonization hub’ to help Hamilton reach net-zero goal
City politicians have expressed cautious support for an ongoing effort to create a $3.1-million decarbonization hub" to help Hamilton industry reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.
But during a recent staff update, councillors made it clear they expect the eventual hub to produce tangible results that support the city's goal to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 or sooner.
Last year, the past council gave conditional approval for a $240,000 city contribution over four years for the initiative, with other funding sources, including a pending application for $1.6 million in federal dollars, expected to fill the gap.
A non-profit organization called the Transition Accelerator that's dedicated to helping Canada reach its climate goals and helped launched a hydrogen hub in Edmonton in 2021 is a partner in the Hamilton project.
The hub must play a critical role" in carrying out Hamilton's emission-slashing strategy by encouraging industry, the largest contributor to greenhouse gases, to decarbonize operations, said Lynda Lukasik, the city's new director of climate change initiatives.
A Hamilton region decarbonization hub is really going to help us consolidate those efforts and support made-in-Hamilton solutions moving forward," the former longtime head of Environment Hamilton told council.
Lukasik likened the hub to that of the stakeholder table" that worked together for decades on the Remedial Action Plan to clean up Hamilton Harbour.
Similarly, the decarbonization hub can be structured to serve as a powerful stakeholder roundtable" that helps tackle emissions and set targets to achieve net-zero carbon, she said.
An action team" could focus on a particular project, such as electrifying" natural gas-reliant boiler systems in hospitals, said Cyrus Tehrani, chief digital officer and director of innovation, offered by way of example to explain the hub's role.
Now, instead of one individual entity trying to figure that out, those synergies can come together. They can be a pilot project."
Later this year, staff aim to firm up funding agreements with partners, start recruiting a hub director, strike a steering committee, draft a governance model, hire staff and launch the action teams.
The nascent initiative comes as ArcelorMittal Dofasco plans to phase out coke ovens and blast furnaces in favour of electric arc furnaces by 2028.
The bayfront steelmaker says that transition to green steel," which will eliminate three million tonnes of carbon dioxide, hinges on Enbridge constructing a 14-kilometre natural gas pipeline, a plan that has sparked criticism from environmental advocates.
Meanwhile, ArcelorMittal is exploring alternatives such as hydrogen, but a challenge is having enough supply to fuel operations in the short term, Tony Valeri, vice-president of corporate affairs, told council in February.
During the recent hub update, councillors and delegates alike pointed to the plan's vague goals and noted the importance of local oversight as the initiative moves forward.
I would feel a lot better if there was some strong representation by Hamilton city council and Hamilton staff on that leadership team, ensuring that the outcomes are actually tangible and can be communicated to the public in a tangible way," said Ian Borsuk, interim leader of Environment Hamilton.
Coun. Alex Wilson, emphasizing the urgency of the climate crisis, asked whether the city could assign clear targets" for the hub and tie outcomes to local funding decisions. Which opportunities are we going to be moving forward on first?"
Dan Wicklum, CEO of the Transition Accelerator, said the charity doesn't feel comfortable" setting specific annual hub goals. That should be up to the key" local and regional leadership group, an approach that delivers the best results, he said.
Teviah Moro is a reporter at The Spectator. tmoro@thespec.com