EHA Newsletter 05/2009

On May 26-28, 2009 the European Commission organised a tree day conference on “Sustainable Development, a challenge for European Research”. In his opening speach, EU Research Commissioner Janez Potočnik indicated that in the first two years of the EU’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7), 44% of the budget for collaborative research has been allocated to research supporting the EU’s renewed sustainable development strategy. For instance, as part of the EU economic recovery plan, FP7 will support the “greening” of the EU automotive, manufacturing and construction sectors through three public-private R&D partnerships. He also mentioned specifically  two Joint Technology Initiatives (JTIs), “Clean Sky” and the “Hydrogen and Fuel Cells” JTI that he presented as clearly linked to the key challenges of the renewed sustainable strategy.  Eco-Industries turnover in the EU is estimated to be €227 billion per year or around 2.2% of GDP and the turnover of EU eco-industries grew by around 7% between 1999 and 2004. In 2004 these industries provided EU citizens with an estimated 3.4 million jobs. On Day 1 the EHA joined a session on “Car electrification: on the path towards sustainable road transport? Presentations included: – battery recycling issues (Umicore): Lithium production is in the hands of [...]

In order to ensure greater visibility of hydrogen applications to Brussels key decsion makers, the EHA has facilitated several meetings between EHA members and EU and Brussels  institutions. These have resulted in a meeting with the Brussels Environment Agency to discuss the Brussels Climate Plan  and the contribution of hydrogen to emission reductions. The objective is to identify suitable locations for demonstrations of early market applications. The EHA is also collaborating with the technical staff of the EU Parliament to identify suitable locations in EU Parliament buidlings for H2 applications.

Earth’s median surface temperature could rise 5.2 degrees C) by 2100, the scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology found, compared to a 2003 study that projected a median temperature increase of 4.3 degrees F (2.4 degrees C). The new study, published in the American Meteorological Society’s Journal of Climate, said the difference in projection was due to improved economic modeling and newer economic data than in previous scenarios. The MIT team used computer simulations that took world economic activity as well as climate processes into account, they said in a statement. “Without action, said study co-author Ronald Prinn, “there is significantly more risk than we previously estimated. This increases the urgency for significant policy action.” The study coincided with the US government announcing a plan to set national emissions standards for cars and trucks to cut climate-warming pollution and as a bill to institute a cap-and-trade system to curb greenhouse gases was debated in the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) on May 12 approved €750 million in loans to European-based automotive companies worth  to develop cleaner vehicles. DAF trucks in the Netherlands will receive  €150 million for a research and development project and Ford will receive loans worth €400 million for the construction aplant in Craiova inRomania, the technical rehabilitation of the existing plant, as well as an additional €200 million for the entire research and development related activities for the plant carried out in Germany. The EIB has approved €5.2 billion in loans since last December for European car manfacturers. A total of  €3.billion of these loans are provided under the EIB’s European Clean Transport Facility (ECTF). The ECTF is part of the EIB’s contribution to the European Economic Recovery Package and targets significant reductions in the CO2 emissions of vehicles through research, development and innovation. Further loans for the automotive sector planned for submission to the EIB in June and July would also reach component suppliers. With submissions planned for the June Board meeting, this total would exceed EUR 7 bn by mid-year.  Up to now BMW, Daimler, Fiat, PSA Peugeot-Citroën, Renault, Volvo Cars, Scania and Volvo Trucks have benefitted from the loans. [...]

The EU Parliament, on the day before MEP’s will be on their election campaign trails, approved funding for several energy projects to be initiaited before the end of 2010.  The projects are part of a €5 billion economic recovery plan  which also includes €1.02 billion to broadband Internet connections and rural development. The major part of the energy funding - €2.37 billion - is allocated to gas and electricity interconnections, including €200 million for the Nabucco gas pipeline. A further €565 million is allocated to offshore wind energy farms and €1 billion for carbon capture and storage (CCS) demonstration plants. The first €2 billion of the money will be spent in 2009 and further €1.98 billion in 2010. The focus on grid infrastructure followed January’s gas crisis, during which Russia cut off gas supplies to transit country Ukraine, leaving large parts of Eastern Europe without electricity and heating. MEP’s managed to include a provision that will ensure that unspent money will be going to energy efficiency and renewable energy.

On May 15, 2009, a Swedish engineering group, Morphic Exergy Fuel Cells who operates in the areas of fuels cells and wind power, signed a contract with the Narbonne Associates of France for the dissemination of its Polaris 140 portable fuel cell, having a guarantee of minimum value of SEK 48m for Exergy. Polaris 140 is a chemical compound in liquid forms and generates hydrogen on continuous basis and at the same rate as it is consumed in the fuel cell. “The product and area of application are exactly right and show not only that the market has embraced our offer but also indicate that our strategy of focusing our resources on concrete product development rather than visions will generate business. The changes we have now been implemented paved the way for our long-planned share offering and will enable us to fund production for orders like this”, Martin Valfridsson, President and CEO of Morphic Technologies AB, says. The product will be delivered in the beginning of September 2009 as it has been approved by customers. (Comments on this story may be sent to, info@h2euro.org)

As the U.S. Energy Department announced a 60% budget cut on May 7, 2009   for hydrogen-related projects to $68.2 million for the next fiscal year, the EU together with 68 industries and top EU research insitutes in hydrogen and fuel cell system development are stepping up their efforts  in a 7 year, € 94o mln Joint Undertaking for fuel cells and hydrogen that will see its second call for proposals of around € 70 mln this summer. This united effort in combination with the recent  developments in the US therefore seem to give Europe anopportunity  to become market leader in  hydrogen transport development that can not be missed. Despite US funding cuts  for hydrogen transport applications, several car makers  expressed their ongoing  commitment to the commercialisation of fuel cells vehicles.  Honda Motor Co., General Motors Corp. as well as  Toyota Motor Corp. all confirmed their intention to continue their development of hydrogen-powered cars  after the announcement of US Enerery Secretary Steven Chu that the Obama administration will concentrate  more on more near term biofuel and battery development, forgetting that  fuel cells significantly extend the short range of battery powered vehicles. “Honda has a significant commitment to fuel cells and [...]

In recognition of exceptional developments in one of the new century’s most fascinating technologies, and to stimulate further innovation, the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Environment and the Stuttgart Region Economic Development Corporation are – for the ninth time – inviting entries for the f-cell award, sponsored by the State of Baden-Württemberg.The f-cell award is presented in recognition of new fuel cell technology with the potential for practical application. Entrants can submit innovative solutions involving mobile, portable and stationary deployment of fuel cells. Entries can comprise individual components, entire fuel cell systems, related peripherals (fuel and storage technologies), or advances in the use of fuel cells in mobile, portable or stationary applications. Deadline is July 15, 2009. Winners will be announced at the f-cell Congress, Septemeber 28-28, 2009 in Stuttgart. Please visit f-cell award website for details.

The HyNor Partnership and StatoilHydro inaugurated the  Norwegian hydrogen highway, HyNor  on 11 May 2009 at StatoilHydro’s new hydrogen station at Økern in Oslo. The “EVS Viking Rally” began in conjunction with the HyNor opening. The starting group in the rally included 14 hydrogen vehicles, two plug-in hybrids and 14 battery electric vehicles. The vehicles started in Oslo and reached the beginning of EVS 24 (Electrical Vehicle Symposium, 24th edition)  in Stavanger on 13 May. The tour visited in Porsgrunn, Grimstad, Arendal, Kristiansand, Lyngdal and Egersund. Another 10 battery electric vehicles joined the rally in Egersund. HyNor was opened by Norway’s Minister of Transport and Communications, Liv Signe Navarsete. H.R.H. Crown Prince Haakon of Norway joined the first stage of the EVS Viking Rally, from Oslo to Lier, together with race car driver Henning Solberg. The governing mayor of Oslo, Erling Lae, opened StatoilHydro’s new hydrogen service station at Økern, and Navarsete opened the hydrogen station at StatoilHydro’s service station in Lier. The first hydrogen station on the 580-kilometer (360-mile) route between Oslo and Stavanger opened at Forus in Stavanger in 2006, the second in Porsgrunn in 2007, and now the two new stations are open in Oslo and Lier. [...]