Canada to Fund Hydrogen Highway between Vancouver & Whistler

Visitors at the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games – which will take place in Vancouver and Whistler – will be able to travel in fuel-cell-powered vehicles on Canada's first stretch of the Hydrogen Highway.

The Government of Canada today announced funding for the world's first Hydrogen Highway(TM) to be built between Vancouver and Whistler, British Columbia.

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."

Three other projects were also announced: 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 project will demonstrate a wide variety of fuel-cell products for transportation, stationary, portable and micro-power applications that can use the hydrogen fueling infrastructure.

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. Sacre-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.