From Grid to Fuel: How Renewable Energy Powers Green Hydrogen
- H2MB
- Sep 17
- 5 min read
Renewable energy is growing at an unprecedented pace, but one of its biggest challenges remains storage and reliability. Solar and wind power are abundant, yet they fluctuate with the weather. Hydroelectricity provides stability, but even it has limits when it comes to balancing demand. The question is clear: how do we make renewable energy available when and where it’s needed most?
Green hydrogen offers an answer. By converting renewable electricity into hydrogen through electrolysis, clean power can be stored and transported like a fuel. This makes it possible to capture surplus energy from hydro, wind, or solar and use it later to power vehicles, industries, and even entire communities — all while producing zero emissions at the point of use.
For Manitoba, this opportunity is especially significant. With vast hydro resources, strong wind potential, and growing solar capacity, the province is uniquely positioned to transform clean electricity into fuel. Green hydrogen not only strengthens the value of renewables but also positions Manitoba as a leader in Canada’s clean energy transition.
In this article, we’ll explore why renewable energy needs hydrogen, how Manitoba’s resources give it an advantage, the process of turning electricity into fuel, and why this matters for building a sustainable future.
Table of Contents:
Why Renewable Energy Needs Hydrogen
Renewable energy is central to the clean energy transition, but it comes with a challenge: variability. The sun doesn’t always shine, and the wind doesn’t always blow. Even hydroelectricity, though more consistent, can fluctuate with seasonal water levels. These ups and downs make it difficult to ensure a steady supply of electricity at all times.
This is where hydrogen plays an important role. When there is surplus renewable electricity on the grid, it can be used to power electrolysis, a process that splits water into hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen can then be stored for later use, acting as a flexible energy reserve. Unlike batteries, which are best suited for short-term storage, hydrogen can hold energy for days, weeks, or even months.
Hydrogen also offers something renewables alone cannot: portability. Electricity must stay on the grid, but hydrogen can be stored, transported, and used across industries that are difficult to electrify, such as heavy transport and industrial manufacturing. This makes hydrogen the critical link between renewable energy generation and widespread, practical decarbonization.
How Manitoba’s Renewable Resources Power Hydrogen
Manitoba has a unique advantage when it comes to producing green hydrogen: access to some of the cleanest and most affordable renewable electricity in North America. This foundation gives the province the ability to generate hydrogen at lower costs than many other regions.
Hydroelectric Power
Hydro is the backbone of Manitoba’s electricity grid, supplying more than 97 percent of the province’s power. This reliable and low-carbon energy source creates a strong base for hydrogen production. It also ensures that the hydrogen produced is truly green, since it is powered almost entirely by renewables.
Wind Energy
The vast open landscapes of the prairies provide excellent conditions for wind power. Manitoba’s wind potential remains largely untapped, but investing in wind farms could provide additional surplus electricity that can be directed toward hydrogen production, especially during periods of high generation and low grid demand.
Solar Energy
While solar currently plays a smaller role in Manitoba’s energy mix, its potential is growing. As solar technology becomes more efficient and cost-effective, it can add further diversity to the province’s renewable supply, feeding into hydrogen production and strengthening the balance of the grid.
Together, hydro, wind, and solar give Manitoba a renewable energy mix that is not only clean, but also diverse. This combination positions the province to become one of the most competitive producers of green hydrogen in Canada, with the ability to supply both local industries and future export markets.
From Electricity to Fuel – The Process
Turning renewable electricity into hydrogen may sound complex, but the basic process is straightforward. It relies on a technology called electrolysis, which uses electricity to split water into its two elements: hydrogen and oxygen.
Step 1: Powering the Electrolyzer
Electricity generated from hydro, wind, or solar is directed into an electrolyzer, the device that makes hydrogen production possible.
Step 2: Splitting Water
Inside the electrolyzer, water molecules are split into hydrogen and oxygen. The oxygen is released, while the hydrogen is captured.
Step 3: Storing the Hydrogen
The hydrogen gas is stored in tanks or other systems until it is needed. Unlike electricity, which must be used immediately, hydrogen can be stored for long periods of time.
Step 4: Using the Fuel
When needed, hydrogen can be transported and used in a wide variety of applications. It can be run through a fuel cell to produce electricity, used directly in industrial processes, or even power vehicles. The only byproduct is water, making it a clean and sustainable fuel source.
A simple way to think about this process is that hydrogen turns renewable electricity into a “battery you can ship.” It takes the power from the grid, stores it in a new form, and makes it available wherever and whenever it’s needed.
Why Renewable Energy Green Hydrogen Matters for the Clean Energy Transition
Green hydrogen does more than extend the value of renewable electricity—it creates new opportunities for reducing emissions across sectors that are otherwise difficult to decarbonize.
In transportation, hydrogen can replace diesel in heavy trucks, buses, and trains that require longer ranges and faster refueling than battery-electric vehicles can currently provide. In industry, it can substitute for coal and natural gas in processes like steelmaking, refining, and fertilizer production, which demand high heat and large amounts of energy. These applications give hydrogen a unique role in reaching net-zero targets.
Hydrogen also strengthens the energy system itself. By storing surplus renewable electricity, it helps balance supply and demand on the grid, reducing the risk of waste during periods of overproduction. This flexibility makes renewable energy more reliable, turning intermittent resources like wind and solar into steady contributors to the power mix.
For Manitoba, the impact goes beyond clean energy. Developing a hydrogen economy can create new jobs, attract investment, and position the province as a leader in Canada’s transition to net zero. By linking its renewable resources to hydrogen production, Manitoba can play a central role in building a more sustainable and competitive economy for the future.
Renewable energy is at the heart of Canada’s path to net zero, but on its own it cannot provide the reliability and flexibility that a modern energy system demands. Green hydrogen bridges that gap. By converting electricity from hydro, wind, and solar into a storable and transportable fuel, hydrogen extends the reach of renewables far beyond the grid.
For Manitoba, this represents both an environmental and an economic opportunity. With its clean electricity mix, strong wind resources, and growing solar potential, the province is positioned to produce some of the lowest-cost green hydrogen in the country. By doing so, it can support local industries, strengthen the grid, and open the door to new export opportunities.
At H2MB, our mission is to help make this transition a reality. By building the foundations of a hydrogen economy in the prairies, we aim to ensure that Manitoba is not only generating renewable power, but also transforming it into fuel for a sustainable future.
