Originally published March 30 2005
Canada is a leader in fuel cell technology, but it needs more government investment to keep it going
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Canada's dedication to hydrogen fuel research, especially in the field of fuel cells, is excellent, but it needs more government involvement to keep going. While Canada is developing impressive fuel cell technologies and creating projects to inform the public, many in Canada's fuel cell industry say that more must be done. This means that the Canadian government must invest more if they want to keep up with Europe and the United States.
Canada's hydrogen and fuel cell industry is stronger than ever and positioned for great growth in the future, according to a joint sector profile developed by the federal government, Fuel Cells Canada and PricewaterhouseCoopers.
The study's highlights include a 40% increase in overall revenue and an 87% increase in revenue from product sales.
Overall, the study demonstrates that the Canadian industry is a leader in this emerging sector and suggests a strong forward-looking partnership between the federal government and the industry.
"Canada is certainly a leader in this technology," says Bruce Bowie, director general of the energy and marine branch of Industry Canada.
* The doubling of the number of real-world demonstration projects, with 262 projects around the world involving Canadian companies and researchers; and * Continued significant investment in forward-looking R&D totaling more than $290 million in 2003, with an average investment of $100,000 per employee.
In southern Ontario, they include Hydrogen Village projects in Toronto and Kingston; in British Columbia, the Hydrogen Highway features seven 'technology villages' highlighting hydrogen use.
Clearly, work to build the organization's profile is underway and fits well with the results of the sector profile.
But Louise Comeau, president and CEO of Fuel Cells Canada, a 69-member organization with both large and small-scale companies, says while the profile's overall results are positive, more work needs to be done.
"The sector continues to grow," says Comeau, but because of the longer timeline to commercialize hydrogen technology, there is a challenge in accessing appropriate capital for the technology's development.
Most companies are small (50 employees or less) with an average salary of $74,000.
The B.C.-based company has been in business since 1983 and has worked to convince a skeptical public of its benefits, says treasurer Mike Rosenberg.
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