OTTAWA – The Honourable John Baird, Minister of the
Environment, on behalf of the Honourable Gary Lunn, Minister of Natural
Resources, and Pierre Gauthier, Air Liquide Director, Hydrogen Energy, North
America, presided over the official opening of the first permanent hydrogen
fuelling station in Ottawa as part of the "Hydrogen on the Hill" project
launched last year.
The new station's first customers will be three hydrogen-powered buses
operated by the Senate of Canada.
"These buses have racked up more than 6,000 trouble-free kilometres over the
past year. They're proving that hydrogen is not just a clean alternative – it's
also a realistic alternative," said Minister Baird. "Our government is leading
by example with initiatives such as Hydrogen on the Hill. This is another
demonstration of our government's commitment to achieving tangible results for
the reduction of greenhouse gases and air pollution that we set out in our
Turning the Corner Plan."
The new station, at the Natural Resources Canada Booth Street campus in
Ottawa, is the fifth permanent hydrogen fuelling station in Ontario and the
tenth currently operating in Canada. Natural Resources Canada, through the
Canadian Transportation Fuel Cell Alliance, and Air Liquide Canada each
contributed $800,000 toward the $1.6-million station.
"As we work toward the transition to a renewable hydrogen economy, Air
Liquide Canada is delighted to see the next step in this project become a
reality," said Luc Doyon, President and COO of Air Liquide Canada. "Our
partnership with government and industry to educate the public about hydrogen as
an alternative energy source to fossil fuels is an example of our joint
commitment to sustainable development."
Hydrogen on the Hill is part of a nation-wide project led by Industry Canada
and Ford of Canada. The project is managed by Advanced Technologies and Fuels
Canada (ATFCAN) and is
assessing the environmental benefits and commercial feasibility of using
hydrogen as a transportation fuel.
Ford has deployed a total of ten shuttle buses across Canada powered by
hydrogen internal combustion engines (H2ICE). The H2ICEs produce 75 percent less
nitrogen oxide – the major ingredient in smog – no CO2 emissions and
almost no other air pollutants. In addition to Ottawa, the hydrogen-powered
buses will be running in Vancouver, Prince Edward Island and Toronto.
FOR BROADCAST USE:
Canada's New Government has officially opened Ottawa's first hydrogen
fuelling station. It's the fifth such station in Ontario and the tenth in
Canada. The station is part of the Hydrogen on the Hill project, which is using
three hydrogen-powered buses to assess the environmental benefits and commercial
feasibility of hydrogen as a transportation fuel.
Media may contact:
Louise GirouardDirector of CommunicationsOffice of the
MinisterNatural Resources CanadaOttawa613-996-2007
The general public may contact:
Mon-Fri, 8:30-4:30 EDTTelephone: 613-995-0947TTY:
613-996-4397(teletype for the hearing-impaired) E-mail: questions@nrcan.gc.ca
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releases and backgrounders are available at www.nrcan.gc.ca/media.
