Vancouver - Fuel cells

NRC's Vancouver-based technology cluster is the world's fastest growing and most sophisticated grouping of companies and organizations focused on fuel cell and hydrogen-energy technologies. A study by a leading American market-research company, predicts Canadian fuel cell industries — most of which reside in Vancouver — will seize nearly 30 percent of an estimated US$2.4 billion share of the world fuel cell market in 2007. By 2017 — when experts say the global industry will be worth trillions of dollars annually — NRC's early strategic investments will have primed the Vancouver cluster for a significant market share.

Fuel cell vehicle

Strategically positioned players

While pockets of fuel cell research exist in other locations across Canada, Vancouver remains the national hub for groundbreaking R&D, accounting for nearly 70 percent of 1,405 Canadian jobs in the field.

This concentration of activity coincides with an aggressive development strategy launched by NRC in 1998 to position the region as an important player in the highly competitive global fuel cell marketplace. A key part of NRC's approach was the creation of a task force that determined how best to conduct fuel cell R&D in Canada with Vancouver serving as the focal point.The plan sparked a number of important initiatives:

• construction of a state-of-the-art fuel cell research facility at the NRC Institute for Fuel Cell Innovation, and building local hydrogen and fuel cell expertise
• creation of Fuel Cells Canada, a national association dedicated to accelerating Canada's hydrogen and fuel cell industry
• development of the Fuel Cell Program, a national research initiative that taps into the talent of NRC's best minds from six of its major research facilities across Canada.

Partnering to commercialize research

		COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
		1998 — NRC sparks cluster formation with task force
		1999 — NRC establishes a fuel cell lab at its Vancouver Innovation Centre
		2000 — NRC helps establish Fuel Cells Canada, a national industry association
		2002 — planning begins for NRC research institute
		2003 — NRC and Western Economic Diversification announce $1.5 million for Hydrogen Technology Environmental Chamber, unique in North America
		2003 — NRC drives the launch of a Canadian Fuel Cell Commercialization Roadmap, a multi-stakeholder initiative
		2004 — Prime Minister unveils Hydrogen Highway™ at Globe 2004 conference
		2004 — NRC receives $15 million in new federal funding for NRC Institute for Fuel Cell Innovation

The strategic focus of NRC's cluster is to maintain Canada's early leadership in the emerging field of fuel cell R&D. To reach this goal, NRC supported Canada's Fuel Cell Commercialization Roadmap, a federal government initiative that assembled 40 stakeholders to identify opportunities in fuel cell R&D and map a strategy for technology commercialization. The strategy has been a resounding success. The number of organizations partnered with NRC to bring pioneering technologies to market has doubled over five years,bringing the total to 19 industrial collaborations, 14 university partnerships and eight international projects.

NRC has strengthened its relationships with three local universities to help develop highly qualified personnel for local industry, establish hydrogen and fuel cell consortiums and leverage resources. And, NRC has recently added 20 senior researchers to its 115-strong team of experts as well as extending training in hydrogen and fuel cell technologies.

Transforming technology into business

NRC offers strategic services to businesses that wish to take their innovations to market — easing the transition from small start-up company to bona fide industrial presence.

Assisting with industrial research

The NRC Industrial Research Assistance Program provides a range of financial and advisory services to Canadian hydrogen and fuel cell SMEs. Through its extensive network of professionnal advisors, the program links these companies to appropriate sources of technical and business expertise, market information and local financing. It also facilitates international connections via technology trade missions to regions such as China and Europe.

This NRC program has developed close relationships with the majority ofthe fuel cell firms in B.C., supporting early R&D and pre-commercialization of fuel cell products.

Over the two-year period from 2003 to 2005, it funded 30 projects for a total contribution of $1.5 million to 13 B.C.firms.

Demonstrating fuel cell potential

To nurture its Vancouver cluster, overcome technical and nontechnical barriers to technological deployment,and attract the top minds in fuel cell R&D, NRC showcases groundbreaking technologies and companies through a series of demonstration projects. Demonstrations include:

• a hydrogen refueling station and storage tower that power Ford Focus fuel cell vehicles
• photovoltaic panels that transform solar energy into hydrogen to power fuel cells
• a five-kilowatt solid-oxide fuel cell generator that provides heat and power to buildings

		CLUSTER FACTS AT A GLANCE
		International fuel cell market will be worth US$2.6 trillion by 2021.
		In 2004, Canadian fuel cell companies generated revenues of $133 million.
		Vancouver is home to more than 70 percent of the 1,405 people employed in fuel cell R&D in Canada.
		R&D expenditures increased from $218 million in 2003 to $237 million in 2004 — an increase of 8%.
		Hydrogen Highway to be operational by 2010 Winter Olympics.

Blazing a trail

NRC's Hydrogen technology environmental chamber in Vancouver.

British Columbia's Hydrogen Highway™ — led by Fuel Cells Canada and NRCan's Canadian Transportation Fuel Cell Alliance — is an integral component of NRC's fuel cell cluster strategy. Envisioned as a key attraction at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, the highway will extend north from the Vancouver airport to the Resort Municipality of Whistler. A new NRC research facility will be one of seven hydrogen centres along the highway featuring hydrogen refueling infrastructure and a variety of transportation, micro and stationary fuel cell demonstrations.

Responding to industry needs

To meet the evolving needs of Vancouver's fuel cell cluster, NRC relocated in 2006 to a new, $19 million research facility on the grounds of the University of British Columbia. At its new facility NRC focuses on three key research areas:

		NRC's CLUSTER PARTNERS
		Fuel Cells Canada
		Simon Fraser University
		University of British Columbia
		University of Victoria
		Government of British Columbia
		Western Economic Diversification
		Natural Resources Canada
		Industry Canada
		Environment Canada
		National Defence Canada
		International Trade Canada
		Transport Canada

• proton-exchange membrane technologies
• solid-oxide fuel cell technologies
• new materials development to advance hydrogen generation, compression and purification technologies

Micro fuel cells on a wafer.

"NRC-IRAP has been the strongest of all government programs in research that Angstrom has been involved with. They understand their mission, contribute in more ways than money and are a valued contributor to Angstrom's R&D program. In addition they have tried to link Angstrom with other research groups within NRC with the aim of accelerating development and reducing costs. The support has been extensive."

Dr.Ged McLean, Founder and CTO, Angstrom Power Inc.

http://ifci-iipc.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca

National Research Council Canada 1200 Montreal Road Ottawa, ON K1A 0R6 Tel.: (613) 993-9101 www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca	NRC Institute for Fuel Cell Innovation 4250 Wesbrook Mall Vancouver, BC V6T 1W5
Maja Veljkovic Director General Tel.: (604) 221-3000 Fax: (604) 221-3001 Maja.Veljkovicnrc-cnrc.gc.ca	Yoga Yogendran Director, Technology and Deployment Commercialization Tel.: (604) 221-3157 Fax: (604) 221-3001 Yoga.Yogendrannrc-cnrc.gc.ca