Ballard Power Systems was founded in Vancouver, Canada, by Geoffrey Ballard, Keith Prater and Paul Howard to conduct research and development of high-energy lithium batteries.
Four years later, proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells became a primary focus for the company and Ballard has since established itself as a leader in the PEM fuel cell industry.
“It takes time for new technologies to really manifest themselves into practical use. So, I say to the doubters: we need the benefits of hydrogen,” said Paul Howard, Co-Founder of Ballard Power Systems.
“At Ballard, our vision is simple and enduring – we deliver fuel cell power for a sustainable planet. What has changed today is the ability to point to numbers – actual technology and products operating in the field,” said Randy MacEwen, Ballard President and CEO.
“The industry today is powering over 25,000 fuel cell forklifts, more than 12,000 fuel cell cars, and over 2,000 fuel cell buses and commercial trucks, all of which are operating in the field.”
“We’ve delivered dramatic cost reduction on the technology and product front while also seeing significant performance improvements.”
“There is mounting evidence that the shift to zero-emission transportation is accelerating and that fuel cell electric vehicles, or FCEVs, will play an integral role.”
Over its history, Ballard has invested more than $1bn in research and development to advance PEM fuel cell technology and has produced over 5 megawatts of PEM fuel cells products.
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