Westport Signs MOU with Leading Chinese University for Hydrogen Research Project Thursday, July 22, 2004 Westport Signs MOU with Leading Chinese University for Hydrogen Research Project http://www.westport.com Vancouver, BC, July 22, 2004--Westport Innovations has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with China’s Tsinghua University to co-research and demonstrate technologies using Hydrogen-Compressed Natural Gas (HCNG) in public bus fleets in Beijing and other Chinese cities. Westport and Tsinghua plan to study the performance, fuel economy, emissions, and economic impact of HCNG-fueled engines in Beijing, where over 2,000 Cummins Westport natural gas engines are currently in transit bus service. “Westport is pleased to be working with Tsinghua University to advance technological development of hydrogen and hydrogen natural gas blends in commercially available internal combustion engines. These near-term technologies can take advantage of decades of experience with engines while dramatically reducing NOx and other pollutants as compared to conventional oil-based fuelled engines,” says Dr. Michael Gallagher, Westport’s Chief Operating Officer. Westport’s project team will be led by Dr. Patric Ouellette, Westport’s Chief Technology Officer. “We are proud to work with one of China’s most prestigious technological institutions with its world-class, state-of-the-art research facilities and scientific team. This collaboration allows us to participate in finding solutions to air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and dependence on fossil fuels.” says Dr. Ouellette. “This relationship will allow us to add to the growing knowledge we are generating on hydrogen natural gas blends operation, along with our on-going project in SunLine California and the one we are developing in Vancouver”. Westport Innovations Inc. develops, manufactures and sells a wide range of engines for commercial transportation applications such as trucks and buses through Cummins Westport Inc., its joint venture with Cummins Inc. Technology development alliances are in place with a number of other leading engine manufacturers to develop engines that operate using cleaner-burning fuels such as natural gas, propane, hydrogen, and blended fuels such as HCNG. Located in Beijing, Tsinghua University is China’s national center for engineering and the sciences. With 8 colleges and 43 departments, 44 research institutes, 9 engineering research centers, and 163 laboratories, including 15 national key laboratories, Tsinghua has over 20,000 students, including 6,200 master's degrees candidates and 2,800 doctoral candidates. For further information, please contact: Westport Innovations Inc: Gordon Neal, Director, Investor Relations Phone: 604-718-2046 Fax: 604-718-2001 Email: invest@westport.com Web: www.westport.com   See All News Releases From This Company View Company Website Email To A Friend Printer-Friendly Format