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For Immediate Release 13
July, 2004
QuestAir to
supply hydrogen purification technology to BC Hydrogen
HighwayT infrastructure
project
BURNABY, B.C. - QuestAir Technologies Inc. announced
today that it will participate in the BC Hydrogen HighwayT by
supplying hydrogen purification technology to a vehicle
fueling and power generation project in North Vancouver.
Jonathan Wilkinson, President and CEO of QuestAir, said
the company will provide a QuestAir H-3200 hydrogen purification
system to convert raw hydrogen from a North Vancouver
sodium chlorate plant into high-purity hydrogen fuel
suitable for use in fuel cell vehicles.
QuestAir is one of six companies in a consortium developing
an integrated hydrogen fuelling and demonstration project
in North Vancouver. Sustainable Development Technology
Canada (SDTC) is, subject to contract completion, contributing
more than $5.8 million dollars towards the estimated
$18 million cost of the project, which will be fully
operational in 2005. The project will become one of seven
fueling and demonstration depots on the BC Hydrogen HighwayT,
announced by Prime Minister Paul Martin on April 1st
2004.
"By-product hydrogen from existing industrial processes
such as sodium chlorate plants has the potential to provide
an important supply of low-cost hydrogen to support the
commercialization of fuel cell vehicles," Wilkinson said.
The project consortium is led by Sacré-Davey
Engineering of North Vancouver, and includes BC Hydro
subsidiary Powertech Labs, Dynetek Industries, Clean
Energy, Westport Innovations and QuestAir.
Chris Sacré, President of Sacré-Davey
Engineering, said that the recovery of hydrogen from
a sodium chlorate process poses significant challenges,
since the raw hydrogen contains a number of impurities
including oxygen, chlorine and water. "QuestAir's compact
systems and world-leading gas purification expertise
combined to provide a unique, cost-effective solution
to the purification challenges of this project," Sacré said.
Targeted for full implementation by the 2010 Olympic
and Paralympic Winter Games in Vancouver and Whistler,
the BC Hydrogen HighwayT will be a showcase of sustainable
transportation, creating a hydrogen highway that will
allow visitors to travel in hydrogen-powered vehicles
between Victoria, Vancouver and Whistler.
The North Vancouver project will involve the development
and demonstration of a hydrogen fuel purification,
storage, distribution and infrastructure program. It
will showcase fuel cells in power generation, heavy
and light-duty hydrogen burning vehicles, and vehicle
refueling technologies.
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 fueling
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 Sacré-Davey Engineering
Sacré-Davey Engineering is an industrial multi-disciplined
engineering and project management company specializing
in the development and integration of mechanical systems,
processes and the design of balance of plant requirements
for the energy, resource, transportation and building
sectors.
About Sustainable Development Technology Canada
Sustainable Development Technology Canada finances
and supports the development of clean technologies - solutions
that address issues of climate change, air quality,
soil remediation and water quality to deliver environmental,
economic and health benefits to Canadians. An arm's
length, not-for-profit corporation created by the Government
of Canada, SDTC fills the void in the innovation chain
between R&D and commercialization - helping clean
technology developers move their products and solutions
through the development and demonstration phases, in
preparation for commercialization.
For more information, please contact:
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