MMO support key to licensing deal

Two Univ of Toronto researchers have signed a major licensing agreement with Stuart Energy to develop advanced electrocatalyst technology used in water electrolysis to harness hydrogen. The technology was developed with the funding and guidance of Materials and Manufacturing Ontario (MMO), one of four Ontario Centres of Excellence. Stuart Energy has raised $150 million and hired 50 new engineers and professionals to develop a new hydrogen generator using the technology, and one the discovering professors - Dr Steven Thorpe - has taken a leave of absence from U of T to become Stuart's VP technology. The work of Thorpe and Dr Donald Kirk has also been supported by Natural Resources Canada and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council. MMO is publicizing the agreement with Stuart Energy as an example of its role in the commercialization of technologies beneficial to the provincial economy. MMO currently oversees 140 collaborative projects involving nearly 600 firms....

In other news Stuart Energy has joined the California Fuel Cell Partnership, a collaboration of automakers, fuel cell suppliers, energy companies and government agencies. Stuart will develop a satellite hydrogen fueling infrastructure for refuelling hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Its proprietary technology uses household water and electricity to produce hydrogen fuel....