Name

Mark Kirby

Affiliation

President and CEO
Canadian Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association (CHFCA)

Contact information

Email: mkirby@chfca.ca

Presentation Title

Update on Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Activity in Canada

Abstract

There is a groundswell of interest in hydrogen energy around the world as industry and governments recognize the critical role it will play in achieving net zero 2050.  Canada has long been a leader in hydrogen and fuel cell technology.  Canada is a leading producer of hydrogen including an increasing amount of clean hydrogen, the cradle of PEM fuel cell technology with leading players such as Ballard Power, and over 100 years of electrolyzer history, including Cummins Canada and its predecessors.   With over 90 member companies, the Canadian Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association is the voice of the sector.  Recognizing the importance of hydrogen energy, Canadian federal and provincial governments are working to build our strong base of projects and expertise, to stimulate the deployment of hydrogen energy projects.   The paper reviews the status of projects in Canada, new policy and funding initiatives, and the actions that are being taken to support commercialization. 

Biographical
Sketch

Mr Kirby joined CHFCA as President and CEO in August, 2019. A mechanical engineer with an honours degree from the University of British Columbia, he has led the commercialization of many clean technologies, including hydrogen energy technologies. 
Mr Kirby was a founder and CEO of S2G BioChemicals Inc., a Vancouver-based industrial biotech company 2nd-generation technology for sustainable bioproducts.  Over a 10-year period, Mr. Kirby secured investment and strategic partnerships that enabled it to develop into a leading bioproducts company.  In 2018, S2G was acquired by Fortress Global Industries, a Canadian forest products company, becoming Fortress Advanced Bioproducts. 
Prior to starting S2G, Mark led business and technology development, operations and commercialization in the food, industrial gases, fuel cell and forest products industries with fuel cell leader Ballard Power, Canadian hydrogen technology start-up QuestAir Technologies and global industrial gases company Praxair.