General Hydrogen Corp has developed prototypes of fuel cell power packs for three classes of battery-powered lift trucks. Branded as Hydricity Packs, they will find initial use in distribution centres and manufacturing plants.

Hydrogen-powered Hydricity Packs directly replace a lift truck's existing battery packs. They can also serve as a source of energy for stationary power equipment.

All demonstrations of the packs to date have involved lift trucks, and several leading companies have collaborated with General Hydrogen on these trials. However, General Hydrogen has not yet identified any of the end users.

General Hydrogen began developing Hydricity Packs in 2002 and conducted initial lift truck demonstrations in 2003. "We see commercialisation beginning with some early niche markets around 2007," said Tony Troutt, General Hydrogen's vice president of business development.

General Hydrogen designs, builds and assembles Hydricity Packs in Vancouver. It also operates a customer support facility in Gallatin, TN, United States, to back field trial operations and sales and marketing programs.

Hydricity Packs comply with emerging Society of Automotive Engineers standards for fuel cell vehicle fuelling.

Fuel cell industry visionary Geoffrey Ballard founded privately held General Hydrogen in 1999 to develop hydrogen fuelling systems. Now, the firm works on fuel cell products for industrial applications in addition to fuelling systems.