Canadian fuel cell companies say they're
ready to build a hydrogen corridor between Windsor and Montreal so
hydrogen-powered vehicles can fill up on the 900 km stretch.
Ron Britton, CEO of Fuel
Cells Canada, says the corridor would be a "stepping-off point" for a
countrywide hydrogen system.
"That corridor captures a third of all Canadians," said Britton.
The
federal government gave $130 million last week to fuel cell development as
part of its commitment to reach its Kyoto Protocol emission targets.
Fuel cell cars are more environmentally-friendly than gas-powered
automobiles because they use hydrogen as an energy source.The fuel cells
run on hydrogen extracted from sources such as water, gasoline or methane.
The chemical reaction that takes place produces less pollution than
burning gasoline.
The money is expected to be channelled to building a hydrogen
infrastructure in the country.
The National Research Council of Canada is working with B.C. Hydro and
Methanex Corp. to build a hydrogen highway from the U.S. border to
Whistler, B.C. in time for the 2010 Olympics.
Britton expects the Ontario project will be announced this year.
"It's time to get the public to see this as something they can
understand and adapt to, rather than some mystery technology."
Consumers are reluctant to buy fuel cell vehicles unless they see
fuelling stations and distribution facilities in place.
Britton suggests "nodes" of hydrogen production should be placed along
high-traffic corridors.
Matt Fairlie of Stuart Energy Systems, a supplier of hydrogen fuelling
stations, said the Windsor to Montreal route would be the ideal showcase.
"There's a lot of traffic and it's connecting a lot of important
centres in Ontario."
Fairlie says the hydrogen highways need to be in place before mass
production of fuel cell cars can begin.
Ford announced in June the city of Vancouver would get a fleet of Ford
Focus fuel cell vehicles next year for demonstration purposes.
