Ontario invests in HYGN Energy’s hydrogen battery storage pilot
Ontario’s OVIN fund is putting up to $696,000 CAD into a $2 million-plus HYGN Energy hydrogen battery pilot at a Rainbow Concrete site in northern Ontario.
Photo by David McElwee on Pexels
The Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN) is funding up to 696,000 Canadian dollars toward a hydrogen battery storage demonstration project by Newmarket, Ontario-based HYGN Energy Inc., the company announced August 26, 2026. The hydrogen battery storage Ontario project totals more than 2 million Canadian dollars, with HYGN Energy and its partners contributing over 1.2 million dollars in industry funding alongside the provincial award, which is delivered through OVIN’s R&D Partnership Fund.
How the technology differs from a conventional battery
HYGN Energy’s system stores electricity by using it to split water into hydrogen and oxygen through on-site electrolysis, rather than relying on delivered compressed hydrogen, then converts the stored hydrogen back into electricity through a proprietary combustion-based power-generation system, the company said. Unlike many hydrogen storage systems, it does not use a fuel cell. The system can draw input from off-peak grid electricity, solar, wind, geothermal or other distributed generation sources and dispatch stored power on demand.
Where it will be tested
The demonstration will run at an active industrial site operated by Rainbow Concrete Industries Limited in northern Ontario, where the system will power a mobile concrete plant and an off-grid electric-vehicle fast-charging station under real operating conditions, according to the Centre for Integrated Transportation and Mobility, which first reported the funding on August 27, 2026. The project will test power output, storage performance, load response and peak-demand reduction. A second partner, Debwewin-HYGN Technologies, supports engagement and deployment with Indigenous, northern and remote communities.
| Funding source | Amount (CAD) | Share of total |
|---|---|---|
| Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN) R&D Partnership Fund | Up to $696,000 | ~34% |
| HYGN Energy and industry partners | Over $1,200,000 | ~66% |
| Total project value | Over $2,000,000 | 100% |
Source: HYGN Energy Inc., August 26, 2026; Centre for Integrated Transportation and Mobility, August 27, 2026.
Background
HYGN Energy Inc. is an Ontario-based hydrogen technology company founded in 2022 by Tom Ross and incubated through The Forge, McMaster University’s startup accelerator. Its first commercial product, the HY-Ranger, is a hydrogen hybrid electrolyzer retrofit kit for diesel and gas vehicle fleets, piloted with the City of Kawartha Lakes’ municipal fleet, where the company said it delivered fuel savings of up to 20%. The OVIN-funded Rainbow Concrete demonstration marks the company’s expansion from vehicle retrofit kits into stationary hydrogen energy storage for industrial and off-grid power. HYGN Energy’s project follows a wider pattern of Canadian hydrogen storage investment, including Alberta’s C$20 million in hydrogen and carbon capture technology funding and a C$1.4 million hydrogen storage research chair at Quebec’s INRS, part of a national push to develop storage that can absorb variable renewable generation.
Sources: HYGN Energy Inc.; Centre for Integrated Transportation and Mobility; Fuel Cells Works; The Forge, McMaster University
Featured image: photo by David McElwee on Pexels (free Pexels license).
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I specialize in sustainability education, curriculum co-creation, and early-stage project strategy. At WINSS, I craft articles on sustainability, transformative AI, and related topics. When I’m not writing, you’ll find me chasing the perfect sushi roll, exploring cities around the globe, or unwinding with my dog Puffy — the world’s most loyal sidekick.
