Canada's Fuel Cell Sector Hungry For Help

Just as substantial sales growth seems on the horizon for their long-suffering industry, Canada’s hydrogen and fuel cell developers fear missing the wave because of lack of government support.

Companies say government policies and incentives are inadequate to cement Canada’s technology lead in a sector that researchers at US-based Freedonia Group see growing to worldwide sales of $2.5 billion in 2011, and $8.5 billion in 2016
Global sales in 2006 were C$416 million ($382 million) in 2006, according to the Canadian Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association, of which sales for Canadian companies accounted for C$133 million.

The government of Canada failed to renew a five-year, C$215 million investment fund for hydrogen and fuel cells that ended in 2008 despite a surge in spending in the United States and Japan, said John Tak, president of the Canadian Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association.

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