Hydrogenics has worked closely with a number of Chinese companies throughout the past year – already delivering more than 30 propulsion systems for buses and other vehicle platforms from leading OEMs such as Futian and Volvo. The largest bus OEM in China, Yutong, is one of the key suppliers seeking to bring fuel cell technology into the urban transit mainstream.

The agreements were signed in Beijing during a visit by Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne and trade commission delegates. The deals cover more than 2000 vehicles over the course of the next three to five years.

Staged rollouts will follow typical engineering milestones from prototyping, manufacturing, vehicle certification, and infrastructure build-out. The agreements include heavy-duty fuel cells, hydrogen refueling stations, and assessments for converting wind energy and other forms of surplus electricity to hydrogen using P2G technology.

‘Hydrogenics is the only ‘one-stop shop’ providing the full scope of technology to meet China’s needs – from Power-to-Gas applications to fueling stations and vehicle propulsion systems,’ says CEO Daryl Wilson.

Hydrogenics anticipates that US$10 million of revenue could be realised over the next 12 months, after which product deliveries should accelerate. Vehicle fuel cell requirements alone over a five-year period are forecast to be above $100 million.

There are more than 250 000 EVs currently in operation in China, and vehicle integration companies are seeking ways to improve their limited range, such as using hydrogen fuel cells. Fellow Canadian company Ballard Power Systems is supplying fuel cells to power an initial fleet of 33 fuel cell buses in the Chinese city of Yunfu.

In addition, China’s vast deployed wind and solar power systems offer unprecedented potential for the generation of ‘green’ hydrogen through Power-to-Gas energy storage. Hydrogenics has already demonstrated the commercial viability of multi-MW systems for converting renewable energy into high-purity hydrogen.