"Back in the 1990s it was the flag-bearer of the coming hydrogen economy. ...
"But as a fraction of its former self the company is now beginning to gain some traction in some niche, but not insignificant markets. In 2010, for example, it sold more than 3,000 fuel cell stacks for use as backup power and in forklifts, double what it sold the previous year. ...
"[Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC), the federal cleantech granting agency that recently contributed $7 million toward the demonstration project] is keen on seeing this technology used in remote communities that are off-grid and rely heavily on dirty diesel generators. Getting the diesel fuel to these communities is also expensive because of long transport distances.
"It may be better, in these remote places, to have wind turbines produce electricity, and then use that electricity – using an electrolysis process – to produce hydrogen. When you need power, run the hydrogen through the fuel cells. No greenhouse gases. No particulates. Just clean power.
"'Mated with a renewable source, Ballard fuel cells can deliver base and peak power to such communities at significantly less cost and remove emission from these communities,' according to SDTC".
Full article: Signs of life at Ballard Power.
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