Event Summary

While distance ranges on hydrogen vehicles have been steadily increasing with the use of compressed hydrogen a continuing challenge to researchers is to produce an efficient low pressure, ambient temperature, low volume and lightweight storage system. A preferred alternative is to absorb the hydrogen into a solid media or chemically bind it for controlled release. A successful hydrogen storage system would have: low cost recyclable/rechargeable vessels, near ambient temperature and pressure operation, fast recharge/discharge kinetics, impact safety, and tolerance to trace poisoning.

This workshop, co-hosted by the Canadian Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association and the National Research Council Canada with co-operation of the H2Can Network, will provide the participant with a view of scientific activities in Canada and abroad that are addressing these challenges. This 1.5 day workshop will include papers on solid state storage from OEM automakers as well as researchers from academic, government and industry labs. Confirmed keynote speakers include Dick Kauling from General Motors Canada and Dr. Lennie Klebanoff from Sandia National Laboratories.

Conventional approaches to compact hydrogen storage--compressing the gas to up to 10,000 pounds per square inch (psi) or cooling it down to cryogenic temperatures so that it liquefies can attain only about half the energy density needed to fit enough fuel inside something the size of a gas tank. A few years back researchers thought that hydrogen could be extracted chemically onboard from liquid hydrocarbons such as methanol, but those schemes did not pan out. Research has continued on materials-based storage using techniques of absorption, adsorption and chemical reactions. Storage of hydrogen in these forms offers solutions for light duty vehicles, portable fuel cell devices, backup power storage for fuel cells and potentially large scale hydrogen storage for balancing the electrical grid. This workshop will focus on the current state of research and development in solid state hydrogen storage. The workshop focuses presentations by General Motors Canada, the Hydrogen Research Institute (UQTR), the University of New Brunswick, Kanata Chemical Technologies, the National Research Council and others.

Workshop Location:

National Research Council Canada
Steacie Institute for Molecular Sciences
100 Sussex Drive (Auditorium)
Ottawa ON  K1A 0R6