NRC Opens Cutting Edge Fuel Cell Research Facility

(September 12, 2006, Vancouver, BC) — Today, industry leaders and Provincial Ministers Hon. Richard Neufeld, (Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources) and Hon. Kevin Falcon, (Minister of Transportation) were on hand as the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) opened the doors of the NRC Institute for Fuel Cell Innovation (NRC-IFCI), – Canada's premier applied research organization in support of the nation's hydrogen and fuel cell industry.

"This cutting edge facility underscores our Government's commitment to deliver real action on Canada's environment by maintaining Canadian leadership in hydrogen and fuel cell R&D and increasing our ability to compete in the global marketplace," explained the Honourable Maxime Bernier, Federal Minister of Industry (and Minister responsible for the NRC).

"British Columbia is a world-centre for hydrogen and fuel cell technology, and the B.C. government is working with industry to build on our world leadership and to make the hydrogen economy a reality," added Minister Neufeld.  "Canadians will benefit from hydrogen and fuel cell development through the creation of new jobs, high value-added export of goods and services and sustainable economic growth."

The new $20M facility, located on the University of British Columbia (UBC) campus, positions NRC at the hub of the Vancouver-area cluster, which is considered by many to be the Canadian nucleus for this industry, with a significant concentration of fuel cell companies, suppliers, infrastructure developers and service providers in Canada.

"This investment is aimed at building Canada's national system of innovation and fostering further development of a community-based hydrogen and fuel cell technology cluster in British Columbia," commented NRC President Pierre Coulombe.

NRC-IFCI's new 70,000+ square feet research facility provides a specialized and safe research environment for NRC scientists, collaborative industry and university partners. The new building provides an excellent platform for NRC's hydrogen and fuel cell technology demonstration activities as well as a home for the Vancouver Fuel Cell Vehicle Program and BC's Hydrogen Highway™.

"The National Research Council Institute for Fuel Cell Innovation is an asset to Canada's hydrogen and fuel cell industry and further enhances the sector's hydrogen and fuel cell research capacity," said John Tak, President of Hydrogen & Fuel Cells Canada. "This facility builds on a solid foundation of partnerships that our industry shares with the Government of Canada."

The new building addresses the Canadian hydrogen and fuel cell industry's current and future needs, and was designed to facilitate research, and encourage communication and collaborations among NRC-IFCI researchers and key stakeholders in the community, including from industry and Canadian universities. Key building highlights include state-of-the-art hydrogen-safe labs, a hydrogen fueling station, and building-integrated fuel cell technologies including ground source heat pumps and photovoltaic hydrogen production technologies. This facility is awaiting LEED ® Gold certification by the United States Green Building Council, in recognition of its innovative sustainability features.

Recognized globally for research and innovation, Canada's National Research Council (NRC) is a leader in the development of an innovative, knowledge-based economy for Canadathrough science and technology.

For more information, please visit the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca, or contact:

Liz Fauteux
Media Relations, NRC
Tel.: (613) 949-8153
E-mail: media@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca

Ritinder Harry
NRC-IFCI
Tel.: (604) 221-3099
E-mail: ritinder.harry@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca