EHA Newsletter March 2010

The vice president of DWV, the German hydrogen and fuel cell association, Andreas Ziolek, and EHA’s executive director Marieke Reijalt presented the third EHA/DWV strategy paper “Energy Infrastructure 21″ to Philippe Jean, responsible director for the new EU Clean and Energy Efficient Vehicles Strategy of DG Enterprise and Industry at the EHA/HyER (formerly HyRaMP) Electric Transport Infrastructure seminar in Brussels. Local initiatives to integrate electric transport applications in urban transport systems are accelerating throughout Europe. Electric vehicles powered by batteries and fuel cells require the development of a new sustainable refuelling infrastructure that makes the most efficient  use of local primary energy sources including renewables. The EHA, in collaboration with HyER (formerly HyRaMP), the West Midlands in Europe office and with the support of ERTRAC and the Joint Undertaking for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells, organised a seminar on March 23 presenting an update of activities in EU programmes that support the development of both battery and fuel cell powered vehicles and infrastructures. Presentations of  local and regional initiatives included insight in local activities that are already integrating both technologies into their public fleets. A panel of EU officials responsible for EU’s transport policy and industry experts addressed how to best [...]

The EHA presented its views on the need for a coordinated and accelerated approach to electric transport infrastructure build-up for both battery and fuel cell electric vehicles at the Commission’s Hearing on the new EU Clean and Energy Efficient Vehicles Strategy on March 11. The EHA in addition submitted a contribution to the EU consultation on this topic referring to the importance of sustainable electric transport infrastructure build-up to accelerate the roll-out of battery and fuel cell electric development and the efficient use of primary energy sources, both fossil and renewable, in transport. The EHA position paper can be downloaded below. The Toyota FCHV-adv its newest FC model was presented at the EHA seminar on March 23 in Brussels. Two Toyota FCHV – adv are currently cruising the centre of Berlin.

The EHA will be present at the 16th Group Exhibit Hydrogen + Fuel Cells at the HANNOVER MESSE from 19-23 April 2010.  Joined by the German, Spanish, Italian, Norsk and Belgian EHA national member associations the EHA will present its latest strategy paper “Energy Infrastructure 21″ and the national and regional developments. The Region of Lombardy is presenting one of the 20 Fiat Panda’s that are currently part of the Region’s fleet, running on hydrogen (30%V) and  natural gas. In addition the EHA will feature a slide show of 1o years “Hydrogen in Europe”, commemorating the EHA’s first decade of hydrogen promotion in Europe. Around 150 companies and institutions from around the globe will showcase a full spectrum of hydrogen/fuel cell-related products & services at this longest running H2/FC exhibition in Europe. The latest developments in stationary, portable & mobile fuel cells, fuel cell applications, components, test systems, hydrogen production, transport, storage & infrastructure, reformers and beyond will be shown. More information on the Conference and the registration here

Some € 56 million will be made available, supporting up to 75% of the eligible project costs.The programme will be funding capacity building; building and spreading of know-how, skills and methods; exchanges of experience; development of market and intelligence; policy input; awareness raising and information provision; and education and training. Any public or private organisation from the EU, Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Croatia can apply. Deadline for submission is 24th June, 17:00 local Brussels’ time. More information on the call can find here.

Local initiatives to integrate electric transport applications in urban transport systems are accelerating throughout Europe. Electric vehicles powered by batteries and fuel cells require the development of a new sustainable refueling infrastructure that makes the most efficient  use of local primary energy sources including renewables. HyER (formerly HyRaMP) teamed up with the West Midlands in Europe office and the European Hydrogen Association, EHA to organise a seminar that included an update of activities in EU programmes on the development of both battery and fuel cell powered vehicles and infrastructures and presented local and regional initiatives that are already integrating both technologies into their public fleets. The event was part of the programme of the EU Sustainable Energy Week (www.eusew.eu) The seminar went very well with excellent speakers from the Commission and regional initiatives as well as the main EU programmes ERTRAC for electric battery car development (see roadmap at www.ertrac.org) the EIB and the JTI. Please find all presentations given on the top of the page.

The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) adopted the first international regulation on safety of both fully electric and hybrid cars.  The regulation adopted ensures that cars with a high voltage electric power train, such as hybrid and fully electric vehicles, are as safe as conventional cars.

Typically, electric vehicles operate at very high voltages, in the range of 500 Volts. Therefore it is essential to require protection against the risk of electric shocks. The revised UNECE Regulation 100 will ensure the safety of electric cars by setting out how users of cars shall be protected from the high voltage parts of cars. For example, it prescribes a test procedure that uses a standardized ‘test finger’ to check protection all over the car.

On March 13  European Commissioner for Science and Research, Janez Potočnik, opened a new facility for testing fuel consumption and emissions of trucks and buses. The new installation, “VELA 7″ at the Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) in Ispra (Northern Italy), realistically simulates wind drag, tyre/road friction and full drive cycles for real-life articulated lorries of up to 40 tonnes or 12m long buses. It comes at a crucial time since implementation guidelines for new emission standards, notably the Euro VI regarding heavy duty vehicles, must be defined by 1st April 2010. “Today, Europe’s freight transport by trucks reaches 1888 billion tonne-kilometers every year; increasing trucks efficiency will significantly reduce fuel consumption. The Commission’s new facility will make a great contribution to the Commission’s priorities in these areas.” The new high-tech test facility, the seventh in a series of Vehicle Emission Laboratories (VELA), contains an impressive roller bench in a climatic chamber to test exhaust gases from heavy duty vehicles with top- notch measuring equipment. It will enable JRC researchers to tackle the challenges in implementing current, and developing future, emission standards for lorries and buses by using test cycles that are very close to real life conditions. The JRC [...]

The long term goal of the Platform is to promote the development of hydrogen economy in Hungary. Members of the platform are research intstitutes, university departments, public associations and private companies from the energy sector.

The Hydrogen and Fuel Cell National Technology Platform (HTC Platform) held its first general assembly and a project kick-off meeting 3rd of February 2009 in Budapest.

The Platform is managed by CHIC Central Hungarian Innovation Centre Npc. and has already been joined by several research institutes, university departments, public associations and private companies from the energy sector, for example the Department of Energy Engineering of the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME), the Dep. of Biotechnology and Dep. of Solid State and Radiochemistry of the University of Szeged, the Chemical Research Center and the Research Institute for Technical Physics and Material Science of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, etc.