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Europe will go ahead in the race for fuel cell and hydrogen

Europe will go ahead in the race for fuel cell and hydrogen

The future technologies of fuel cells and hydrogen are emerging in Europe. The Council today adopted a regulation establishing the joint venture for fuel cells and hydrogen. This joint technology initiative of public and private sectors will perform research and development of the EU target for the large-scale entry of these technologies on the market. The founding members are the European Community and an industry association European non-profit composed of a large share of European companies in the sector of fuel cells and hydrogen, ranging from micro-enterprises to large multinationals. The Commission must make a contribution of 470 million euros, under the Seventh Framework Programme for a period of six years, the contribution of business to be at least equal to that amount. The first calls for proposals should be published after the summer. The official launching ceremony will take place at the first general meeting of stakeholders in the joint technology initiative, 14 and 15 October, in Brussels.

The Council adopted a resolution establishing the joint venture for fuel cells and hydrogen.

For the European Commission, the Technology Initiative on fuel cells and hydrogen represents an important milestone in the practice of the EU to conduct targeted searches in partnership with industry, which will increase the overall resources available for R & D and will allow better coordination with national and regional programmes, "said Janez Potocnik, European Commissioner for Science and Research. "This initiative will quickly put Europe ahead of the race for development and deployment of these new technologies." Meanwhile, it is the strategic plan for European energy technologies (SET-Plan), which has a crucial role to play in accelerating the development and adoption of technologies low in carbon intensity. The joint technology initiative can also be seen as a first example of European industrial future initiatives under the plan SET for other technologies.

The main objective of the joint technology initiative is to accelerate the development of fuel cells in Europe and enable their marketing between 2010 and 2020. The partnership will implement an integrated and efficient activity of basic and applied research and technological development, demonstration and support focus on the most promising applications. The joint technology initiative will coordinate activities at European level in order to maximize synergies with Member States and regional programmes.

A scenario analysis carried out under the project "HyWAYS funded by the EU shows that hydrogen, launched in the framework of appropriate measures, would reduce total oil consumption of road transport by 40% by 2050. Furthermore, by 2050, reductions of CO2 emissions from road transport could go up to 50% compared to the maximum recorded. The comparison between spending related to the production and distribution as well as hydrogen vehicles to hydrogen and savings associated with the gradual replacement of conventional vehicles and fuels shows that the breakeven point would be very likely reached between 2025 and 2035. European industry has nevertheless need an additional incentive to invest in technology and hydrogen fuel cells.

The joint technology initiative is the culmination of a six-year effort involving key stakeholders in the sector of fuel cells and hydrogen. The starting point lies in October 2002 with the creation of high-level group for hydrogen technologies and fuel cells. The group defines a "vision" common and collective contribution that these technologies could make towards the establishment of sustainable energy systems. The European Technology Platform for hydrogen and fuel cells, launched in June 2003, followed this path and, led by the industry, has developed key strategic documents for Europe and assisted the Commission in the preparation the joint technology initiative.

The legal entity, the joint venture for fuel cells and hydrogen, will be headed by a steering committee. The daily management and activities will be the responsibility of an Executive Director assisted by a Programme Office based in Brussels. A scientific committee composed of high-level personalities will advise the executive committee. The Member States will follow closely the activities, through the group of representatives of States. The general meeting of stakeholders will meet annually and will be open to all public and private parties in order to generate debate and a fruitful exchange of information on current activities and future.


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