History
In 1994, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR) created the Hydrogen Research Institute (HRI), a research unit contributing to the development of technologies focusing on production, transport, storage, and safe use of hydrogen as an energy carrier.
The mission of the HRI has broadened over the years to encompass energy efficiency, fuel cells, intelligent energy and transportation systems and use of new materials to meet the energy challenges of tomorrow.
Alfred Kastler et Gerhard Herzberg en compagnie de Tapan Bose, lors du colloque « Optique et laser »
On January 13, 1993, the construction of the Hydrogen Research Institute was announced, and work on the latter and on a first test center began in the fall of 1994.
Foundation for Wind Turbine
Wind Turbine Installation
Construction in process - 1994
(from left) Richard Chahine, Jacques Goyette, Raymond Courteau, Pierre Bénard, Daniel Cossement, Alain Tessier, Tapan K.Bose - Director of HRI, Jean-Marie St-Arnaud
Electrolyzer testing 1999
Chronologie
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2021
Appointment of Hydrogen world expert
In 2021, the HRI appointed one of the world experts in hydrogen, Professor Dr. Bruno G. Pollet. In the same year, he is appointed as one of the Deputy Directors of the HRI and Director of the Green Hydrogen Lab.
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2019
New direction at the Institute
In 2019, Professor Pierre Bénard took over from Professor Chahine as Director of the Institute.
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2012
Filling station
In 2012, a hydrogen filling station was erected next to the Institute.
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2005
New direction at the Institute
In January 2005, Professor Richard Chahine took over from Dr. Bose as director of the Institute. Dr. Bose, who passed away in January 2008, saw the HRI Pavilion become the Tapan K. Bose Pavilion.
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2000
Wind turbine
In the spring of 2000, the HRI continued to shape the landscape of the Trois-Rivières campus by erecting a 10-kW wind turbine near the Institute. In the summer of 2001, a second test centre was inaugurated.
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1995
Moving in
In December 1995, the team moved into its new premises.
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1989
The BIG and great idea!
Professor Bose is charmed by the idea of an institute dedicated to hydrogen research and is actively involved in this project. In May 1989, the project was presented at a socio-economic summit in Victoriaville and ranked first among the 90 projects selected. Convinced that a university research institute cannot be deployed more than 50 kilometres from campus, the professor also realizes that the premises of the “Groupe de recherches sur les diélectriques (GRD)”, located in the basement of UQTR's Pierre-Boucher Pavilion, are too small to accommodate an ambitious hydrogen research program. In the end, it is imperative to build on campus, a new pavilion dedicated to hydrogen research.
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1992
Funding
Professor Bose then multiplied meetings with federal, provincial, and regional stakeholders, and succeeded in raising his interlocutors' awareness of the need for hydrogen research. In May 1992, as part of a regional round table on the economy in Drummondville, the Government of Quebec committed to invest $1.25 million in the project. The federal government is also contributing $2.7 million.
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1993
Construction
On January 13, 1993, the construction of the Hydrogen Research Institute was announced, and work on the Institute and a first test Centre began in the fall of 1994.
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1996
The public inauguration
The public inauguration took place on April 10, 1996, in front of the Quebec Minister of Natural Resources, Guy Chevrette, and the federal Secretary of State, Martin Cauchon.