For Immediate Release June 3, 2003
QuestAir Technologies Inc. Awarded
Government Funding for Hydrogen Demonstration Project
BURNABY, BC - QuestAir Technologies Inc. announced today that
it will receive $720,000 in partnership funding from the Government
of Canada and the Government of British Columbia under the Western
Economic Partnership Agreement (WEPA), to support the research
and development of QuestAir's hydrogen purification technology.
"Our hydrogen purification technology provides pure
hydrogen more efficiently and at a lower cost," said
Jonathan Wilkinson, QuestAir's President and CEO. "This
improves the performance and durability of fuel cells, making
them more economical and environmentally friendly".
"Our advancements in hydrogen purification will help
get fuel cells and related products such as fuel cell powered
cars from the development stage to consumer markets sooner,
and bring the world one-step closer to a more sustainable
energy future," Wilkinson said.
The project will demonstrate the use of QuestAir's proprietary
Pressure Swing Adsorption ("PSA") technology for
recovering and recycling hydrogen from waste gas streams,
such as those produced by refineries. The integration of QuestAir's
hydrogen purification technology with a small-scale natural
gas reforming system for use in on-site hydrogen generation
and stationary fuel cells will also be demonstrated. The project
will be administered by Fuel Cells Canada through its Fuel
Cell Demonstration Projects program, and will be located at
the National Research Council's Fuel Cell Technology Laboratory
in Vancouver, British Columbia.
"The Government of Canada's support for this project
demonstrates our commitment to Canada's Innovation Strategy,
using clean and viable energy,"
said Stephen Owen, Secretary of State (Western Economic Diversification)
(Indian Affairs and Northern Development). "In Western
Canada, the hydrogen and fuel cell sector has the potential
to make significant contributions to economic growth and diversification."
"Fuel Cell technology is moving closer to full-scale
commercial viability," said Burnaby-Edmonds MLA Patty
Sahota. "The province of British Columbia is committed
to encouraging new innovation and the development of new technologies
that will support new knowledge-based growth industry and
new jobs in British Columbia."
"We are extremely excited about this project and its
implications for fuel cell development," said Dr. Ron
Britton, President and CEO, Fuel Cells Canada. "QuestAir
is a leading developer of hydrogen purification technologies.
This project is a perfect example of industry and government
partnering to advance Canada's world-leading fuel cell and
hydrogen industry".
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About QuestAir Technologies Inc.
QuestAir Technologies, Inc. has developed proprietary gas
purification technology that is being applied to several large
existing and emerging world markets, including industrial
hydrogen production and stationary and automotive fuel cells.
QuestAir's proprietary fast-cycle pressure swing adsorption
(PSA) technology allows the developers of fuel cell systems
to increase the efficiency of their products, and offers a
compact, cost effective gas purification solution to QuestAir's
industrial customers and developers of hydrogen refueling
infrastructure. QuestAir is a private company based in Burnaby,
British Columbia whose shareholders and strategic partners
include Shell Hydrogen, Ballard Power Systems and the BOC
Group.
About Fuel Cells Canada
Fuel Cells Canada is a non-profit, national industry association.
We are the prime source of services and support to Canadian
corporations, educational institutions and business alliances
promoting, developing, demonstrating, and deploying fuel cell
and related products and services in Canada. Fuel Cells Canada
is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia at the National
Research Council Institute for Fuel Cell Innovation. Membership
is open to all Canadian stakeholders. The QuestAir hydrogen
purification project will be located at the National Research
Council Fuel Cell Technology Laboratory, in Vancouver, British
Columbia.
About Western Economic Partnership
Agreement:
The Canada/British Columbia Western Economic Partnership Agreement
is a joint, multi-million-dollar agreement to encourage economic
development in British Columbia. The federal department of
Western Economic Diversification Canada and the provincial
Ministry of Competition, Science and Enterprise are the lead
agencies for the partnership agreement.
For more information, please contact:
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