Success Stories

Canadian scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs have been developing hydrogen and fuel cell technologies for energy production, storage and use since the early 1970s.  The following stories are a selection of projects that demonstrate Canadian success.  They are examples of significant accomplishments that are building Canadian expertise in hydrogen use and infrastructure.

Vehicle and Fuelling Station Programs

Since 2004, the Government of Canada has been supporting two pivotal hydrogen and fuel cell vehicle demonstration programs in British Columbia: the Vancouver Fuel Cell Vehicle Program (VFCVP) and the Hydrogen Highway program. The VFCVP is a real world demonstration of five Ford focus hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.  These cars are being driven on roads in Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia.  The Hydrogen Highway program develops and supports hydrogen fuelling stations that provide hydrogen to the VFCVP vehicles as well as other vehicles and applications.  Both these programs, including the scientific and technical teams of people behind them, are successfully demonstrating and developing hydrogen infrastructure in British Columbia. 

2010 Olympics - World’s Largest Development of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Buses

In 2007, BC Transit announced the world’s largest development of hydrogen and fuel cell buses for the 2010 Olympics in Whistler, B.C.  Twenty new hybrid fuel cell buses and a hydrogen highway fuelling station are planned for regular service by fall of 2010.  The low-floor buses will have a range of 500 km, a top speed of 90 km/h and a life expectancy of 20 years.  They are the sixth generation of a fuel cell bus developed in Canada.  Several Canadian companies are involved in this project such as Air Liquide Canada, Ballard Power Systems, Dynetek Industries, Hydrogenics Corporation, New Flyer Industries, Hydrogen Technology and Energy Corporation and Sacré-Davey Engineering.

New Flyer Industries of Winnipeg is manufacturing the bus fleet with sub-contracts to ISE Corporation, Ballard Power Systems and Dynetek Industries.  ISE Corporation of San Diego will develop the hybrid drive system.  While Ballard Power Systems provides the fuel cell modules and Dynetek Industries develops the hydrogen storage system for the buses.

Air Liquide, together with Canadian sub-contractors Sacré-Davey Group, Hydrogen Technology and Energy Corporation and Hydrogenics Corporation, will design, supply, operate and maintain the hydrogen fuelling station for the buses in Whistler.

The development of the hydrogen bus fleet is part of B.C.’s commitment to fuel cell technologies and the Hydrogen Highway, as part of the overall plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 33 per cent by 2020. These hydrogen fuel cell buses are going to provide a 62% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions relative to having used diesel bus equivalents.

Advancements in R&D

Two recent achievements in Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cells research have been made by Canadian companies through projects supported by the Government of Canada. 

The first project addresses the need for humidification in PEM fuel cells used in automotive applications.   A fuel cell needs an appropriate amount of humidity to function properly.  A lack of moisture can dry-out the membrane in the fuel cell and reduce its performance and durability.  Dpoint Technologies has recently developed a unique humidification system using advanced materials.  This system reduces the costs and size of the humidifier while improving its reliability. 

The second R&D achievement is related to generating heat and power from PEM fuel cells.  HyTeon Inc. is a Canadian company that specializes in building these systems.  Through their research, they have developed a new and improved combined heat and power system that operates more efficiently and is made from lower costs and lighter weight materials.

These two achievements in research and development have made significant contributions to improving the performance, durability and reliability of PEM fuel cells.  Both companies have received interest from Canadian and international partners that are considering using these technologies in commercial products. 

EcoCAR – the North American Student Automotive Competition

EcoCAR is a three year advanced vehicle competition for engineering students from post-secondary schools across North American.  EcoCAR is the next generation of student vehicle challenges that succeeds 19 years of previous ‘challenges’ supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Argonne Laboratory and other private and government partners. 

During these competitions, students design and build vehicles that demonstrate leading-edge automotive technologies that incorporate lightweight materials, aerodynamic design, alternative fuels and/or hybrid systems.  The ultimate goal is to produce innovative automotive technologies that achieve better mileage and produce fewer emissions than conventional vehicles, while retaining vehicle performance, safety and consumer appeal.

For EcoCAR, the students are using a real-world engineering process to design and integrate their advanced technology solutions into a 2009 Saturn Vue. General Motors is providing production vehicles, vehicle components, seed money, technical mentoring and operational support. The U.S. Department of Energy and Argonne National Laboratory are supplying competition management, team evaluation and technical and logistical support.

Since 1989, the Government of Canada has been actively participating and supporting these student challenges – particularly in developing hydrogen and fuel cell technologies.   In 2008, during ChallengeX – the precursor to EcoCAR, Canada’s University of Waterloo team produced a Hydrogen Fuel Cell Powered Chevrolet Equinox.   This was the first fuel cell vehicle built by a university in North America.  The team won top honours for modeling and simulation and other awards for significant progress in engineering the vehicle.

Through these partnerships between government and industry, the competitions aim to inspire and support the next generation of scientists and engineers to unite around the common goal of sustainable mobility.