by US correspondent Roger RenstromCellex Power Products Inc has secured Canadian Government funding for research and development of hybrid fuel cell products for use in forklifts and other industrial vehicles.
Technology Partnerships Canada (TPC) has agreed to provide Cellex, of Richmond, British Columbia, with CAD9.5 million (USD7.6 million) in funding over five years for work on a family of products, Cellex announced on June 15.
The fuel cell products are designed to replace industrial lead acid batteries for powering electric forklifts.
"Forklift fleet operations will be one of the first applications to adopt fuel cells on a commercial basis," Chris Reid, Cellex president and chief executive officer, said in a statement.
"Additional benefits will be realised when users of internal combustion engine (ICE) lift trucks begin adopting fuel cell based electric lift trucks, which produce zero harmful emissions and require no battery changing as they are simply refueled with hydrogen," Reid said.
In its 2005 budget, the Canadian Government made a "specific commitment to investing in enabling and environmental technologies" including transformative advancements, said industry minister David Emerson, whose department oversees TPC.