The Quebec hydrogen sector

The energy strategy of the Quebec government for 2015 includes the development of a renewable fuel sector, particularly through R&D work in the field of hydrogen.

In 2001, Société E-H2, along with L'Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, have been assigned by the government to explore possible avenues. They recently submitted a financing request to launch the Centre d'innovation des technologies de l'hydrogène (CITH2) and to put forward a hydrogen development plan for Quebec. An investment of $31.5M over five years is projected, including a $20M fund to help position the auto industry in the market of hydrogen technologies.

Right now, fossil fuels account for more than half of all energy needs in Quebec. However, we have the capacity to position the hydrogen industry in the transportation sector.

In the United States, the law is quite clear: automakers have to collectively produce at least 100,000 hydrogen-powered vehicles by 2010 and 2.5M by 2020. All the big companies like GM, Ford, DaimlerChrysler, Honda, Nissan, Toyota and Volkswagen say they are ready to build such vehicles, which produce zero emissions and boast a better fuel economy than hybrids.