Government of Canada Gears Up to Put Fuel-Cell Technologies on the Road
cnw.ca
VANCOUVER, April 1 /CNW/ - Marking another milestone on the road to a new
energy era powered by hydrogen, the Government of Canada today announced
funding for the world's first Hydrogen Highway(TM) to be built between
Vancouver and Whistler, British Columbia. The Right Honourable Paul Martin,
Prime Minister of Canada, made the announcement at Globe 2004, a trade fair
and conference on environmental technology and management.
"The Hydrogen Highway will take us from the fossil-fuel economy we live
in now to the new hydrogen economy," said Prime Minister Martin. "Canada's
going to show the world that hydrogen fuel-cell transportation is more than a
great idea - it's practical, efficient and within reach. Hydrogen technology
is part of our commitment to responding to climate change and creating new
economic opportunities."
"It's time to put hydrogen on the road and the Hydrogen Highway is the
first step," said the Honourable R. John Efford, Minister of Natural Resources
Canada (NRCan). "Today's announcement underscores the Government of Canada's
commitment to a prosperous and competitive hydrogen and fuel-cell industry,
and is a clear sign that we have reached a new milestone."
"We're on the cusp of a new energy era," said the Honourable David
Anderson, Minister of the Environment. "Innovative clean-energy technologies,
such as hydrogen and fuel cells, will be an increasingly important part of the
growing global energy mix in the coming decades."
Also announced were three new projects - the Vancouver Fuel Cell Vehicle
Project, the Hydrogen High-Pressure Valve Development Project and the
Hydrogen-Powered Delivery Van Project - designed to advance the development of
fuel-cell vehicles. These projects will receive $5 million from the Canadian
Transportation Fuel Cell Alliance (CTFCA), NRCan's $33-million initiative
formed to advance the use of fuel-cell vehicles in Canada.
The Hydrogen Highway draws on the talents and resources of a number of
founding partners, including Ballard Power Systems, BC Hydro, Fuel Cells
Canada, Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), the National Research Council Canada
and QuestAir.
The Hydrogen Highway is part of a long-range plan to assist Canada in
moving toward greater use of hydrogen fuel cells in vehicles and other
power-generation applications. The project will demonstrate a wide variety of
fuel-cell products for transportation, stationary, portable and micro-power
applications that can utilize the hydrogen fuelling infrastructure.
The estimated global market in 2011 for hydrogen technologies is $46
billion. Canadian companies will play a major role in this growing
marketplace.
"The Hydrogen Highway brings the leading Canadian and international
stakeholders together to accelerate the commercialization of hydrogen and
fuel-cell technology," said Ron Britton, President of Fuel Cells Canada.
"Demonstrations of fuel cells for portable and stationary power generation
through to fuel-cell-powered vehicles will further substantiate the value and
future reality of the technology to British Columbians and the world."
The Hydrogen Highway is expected to be up and running by the 2010 Olympic
and Paralympic Winter Games, which will take place in Vancouver and Whistler.
A showcase for sustainable development, the Hydrogen Highway will allow
visitors to travel in fuel-cell-powered vehicles between the Vancouver Airport
and Whistler during the games.
Bringing vast experience to the project is Firoz Rasul, who is the Chair
of the Steering Committee managing the Hydrogen Highway project and chairs the
Board of Ballard Power Systems.
"Today, there is a global race toward commercialization of fuel cells and
hydrogen in the automotive and power-generation industries," said Mr. Rasul.
"Long-term leadership will be in the hands of those who move the quickest. The
prize is immense economically, socially in terms of quality of life,
politically in terms of energy independence, and environmentally with an
improved world in which we live. The Hydrogen Highway will confirm Canada's
leadership by accelerating the introduction of hydrogen and fuel-cell
products."
Canada's Hydrogen Highway is being financially supported by industry and
government. The Government of Canada is funding three new projects that will
support the Hydrogen Highway initiative and share $485,000 in Government of
Canada funding through CTFCA. Sacré-Davey Engineering Ltd. will develop a
fuelling station, Powertech Labs will supply a new hydrogen generator, and
Fueling Technologies Inc., an Ontario firm, has contributed a 10,000-psi
(700-bar) hydrogen dispenser that will increase the energy available to fuel
cells, allowing fuel-cell vehicles to operate over a greater range. The CTFCA
will also provide $632,000 for management activities, for a total of
$1.1 million.
Fuel Cells Canada, a non-profit and member-driven national industry
association, will manage the Hydrogen Highway initiative to solicit and
encourage further widespread industry participation.
The Government of Canada's approach to climate change is focused on
making the right choices for Canada. This will ensure that the actions taken
contribute to the long-term goals of building a sustainable economy for the
21st century, a healthier environment and strong communities, while affirming
Canada's place in the world. |
