B.C. Pulp Mill Tests Green Hydrogen to Reduce Industrial Emissions

Kamloops, British Columbia — March 3, 2026 — A pulp mill in British Columbia has launched a pilot initiative to test the use of green hydrogen as a cleaner alternative to natural gas in its production process.

The project at the Kruger Kamloops Pulp Mill will explore replacing carbon-emitting natural gas with hydrogen produced through water electrolysis. The initiative aims to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the facility’s operations.

The planned system will use electrolyzer technology to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen will be used as fuel to power the mill’s lime kiln, a critical component in the pulp manufacturing process, while the oxygen will be utilized in pulp bleaching to improve product quality.

Project developers estimate that the hydrogen system could reduce the mill’s greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 7,000 tonnes annually, equivalent to removing roughly 1,200 to 1,500 vehicles from the road.

The initiative is being developed by clean-energy company Elemental Clean Fuels and aligns with Canada’s national strategy to expand the use of hydrogen as a low-carbon fuel in heavy industry, power generation, and transportation.

Industry experts view the pilot as part of a broader effort to decarbonize energy-intensive sectors such as pulp and paper, where large amounts of fossil fuels are traditionally used for process heat.