Atlantic Canadians greet prospective green hydrogen-ammonia producers with cautious optimism and healthy skepticism

 

 

Trent Vichie appeared bone-tired answering questions in late July about press coverage and critiques of his company’s wind-hydrogen-ammonia developments in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador. He stepped into an interview with Atlantic Business Magazine toward the end of a long day of back-to-back meetings at what is set to become an ammonia production, transshipment and storage facility at Point Tupper, N.S.

Vichie’s used to long days, from his time as a partner at asset manager Blackstone and then co-founder of Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners, then month after month more recently pulling together the many, sizable pieces of business for EverWind energy developments. On this particular day, he was visibly upbeat talking about the future. But he also appeared sapped of energy and excitement, with heavy sighs and even emotion in his voice at times, when asked questions he seemed to view as having already been asked—and answered.

To be fair, EverWind responded to every request for information for this article. Vichie himself was never evasive or disrespectful. He said both he and the company respect the need for social license and the community’s acceptance of their planned industrial development. Still, on questions of public approval centred on the Canso Strait, he just came across as… drained.

“None of this is perfect, but gee, we’ve done our best job, ok? Our best job. I’ve been in the infrastructure space for 25 years, and I’ve done well over $20 billion worth of deals, and this is the hardest and most complex,” he said.

 

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