The New Energy World Industry Grouping (NEW-IG), the industrial association representing Europe’s hydrogen and fuel cell industry has welcomed the European Commission’s proposal to renew and strengthen the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen joint technology initiative set up under Framework Programme 7, boosting investment to €1.4 billion in the Horizon 2020 R&D programme that kicks off in January 2014.
Fuels and Hydrogen 2 will continue to develop clean, efficient and affordable fuel cell and hydrogen technologies up to the point of market introduction, helping to secure the future international competitiveness of this strategically important sector in Europe.
Pierre-Etienne Franc, Chairman of the board of NEW-IG, said the JTI for fuel cells and hydrogen provides the framework to coordinate objectives, pool resources and advance the technology for the benefit of the European economy. “This renewed political and financial support is a sign that Europe will strive to establish this technology as a key enabler for its future energy and transport roadmap,” he said.
The current Fuel Cells and Hydrogen JTI, set up in 2008, has made substantial progress in both energy and transport applications. Successes include the Clean Hydrogen In European Cities (CHIC) project which has advanced towards full market commercialisation of hydrogen fuel cell-powered buses. The project is integrating 26 hydrogen fuel cell-powered buses into the daily public transport operations and bus routes in five locations across Europe – Aargau in Switzerland, Bolzano in Italy, London, Milan, and Oslo.
CHIC has demonstrated a significant reduction in fuel consumption of over 50 per cent compared to previous types of “clean bus”.
Demonstrating large-scale hydrogen production
Of the €1.4 billion to be invested in Horizon 2020, €700 million will come from the Commission and €700 million from industry in the form of hard cash and in kind contributions.
Amongst the specific objectives for the second programme are reducing the cost of fuel cell systems for transport applications by a factor of 10; increasing electrical efficiency of fuel cells for power production by 10 per cent, and demonstrating the viability of large scale hydrogen production from electricity generated from renewable energy sources.
Launching the second fuel cell research programme, along with four other JTIs in Brussels yesterday (10 July), Maire Geoghegan-Quinn, European Commissioner for Research Innovation and Science, said that as a result of the research and implementation carried out in the first Fuel Cells and Hydrogen JTI, “You can take a ride on hydrogen-powered pollution-free buses in five cities across Europe. However she added, “Much research and development is still needed to make this application of FCH technology widespread, and this for clean energy production and storage to become attractive.”
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