European Hydrogen Association » EHA Newsletter April 2010

Introduction

Brussels is bubbling with dossiers that require active contributions of our industry: the EU Clean and Energy Efficient Vehicles Strategy, as presented by the EU Commission on April 28, and discussed in the EHA/HyER (formerly HyRaMP) seminar on March 23 in Brussels, included encouraging text. Complementary development of battery and fuel cell car development was mentioned as well as the need for an assessment on whether synergies exist between capacity build up for electric and hydrogen vehicles and their connection to low-carbon electricity sources, as indicated in the EHA postion paper on the strategy.
The EHA was also contacted by DG Environment to give input on the future development of hydrogen refuelling stations with regards to the Review of the Seveso II Directive, that limits hydrogen on-site storage to 5 tons. Last but not least in a meeting with DG Enterprise, the EHA discussed further EU action on standardisation of infrastructure build-up in Europe and the EHA interest to contribute to the proposed EU Platform for electric transport. The EU Competitiveness Council of May 25-26 will decide on the Clean Vehicles Strategy and therefore it will be very important in the next three weeks to take action at national level to inform government officials of the need to include fuel cell vehicles in their support for electric mobility and to ensure the best use of primary energy sources in transport infrastructure build-up. We also ask national governments for support for an EU coordinated electric transprot platform, consisting of all zero emission transport stakeholders. EHA national association members are well placed to engage with national decision makers on these topics. The EHA Annual General Assembly and the EHA National Association Meeting that are taking place on June 22 in Brussels will be important occasions to discuss national progress, share experiences and celebrate our ten years of promotion and dissemination of the use of hydrogen in Europe .

EHA in Action

EHA at H2 and 16th H2 + FC Group Exhibit in Hannover: H2 in the air!

Across from the EHA stand at the 16th H2 and FC Group Exhibit the ZSW of Ulm is demonstrating its Airport Scooter to pull luggage lorries through airports. Although not much of that is happening these days, ZSW is looking at deploying these vehicles in all locations where indoor material handling requires zero emissions and extended ranges. DLR is demonstrating its paraglide equipped with a fuel cell that completed successful test flights.

These applications are just two of the many that are featured in a new special demonstration area at the fair. Despite the cancellation of oversees exhibitors due to flight restrictions as a result of the volcano eruption in Iceland, this year’s 16th edition of the H2 and FC Group Exhibit at the Hannover Fair attracted many new exhibitors and looks bigger, feels better and is positioned now in the same hall as renewable energy systems and electro mobility solutions.

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EU Policy News

EU Commission issues consultation on Energy Strategy 2011 -2020

The overall goal of European energy policy is to ensure that consumers and enterprises obtain safe, secure, sustainable and low-carbon energy at affordable and competitive prices. The challenges of global energy security and energy geopolitics, slow progress in combating climate change at the global level, the urge to recover on growth and jobs in the EU and the need to invest in tomorrow’s energy networks call for a new Energy Strategy to further deliver on those objectives. Completing the internal energy market, achieving energy savings and promoting low-carbon innovation are the main vectors to reach the objectives of competitiveness, sustainability and security of supply. An open global business climate and a more coherent and effective approach to the EU external energy relations will also help us to reach EU objectives. The new EU Directorate General Energy has prepared a stock taking document with issues for consideration for further action. Submissions to this consultation are to be sent to ENER-ACTION-PLAN@ec.europa.eu by 2 July 2010. More info at the DG Energy website

Will H2 distribution be included in Trans-European Transport Network planning?

The Commission’s Green Paper on the future development of the Trans-European Transport Network, published in February 2009, launched a review of the TEN-T policy. Based on the work of six expert groups dealing with specific issues of TEN-T planning and implementation, the Commission elaborated a proposal for a new methodology for TEN-T planning.

Working Group 3 on Intelligent Transport Systems and New Technologies suggested that alternative fuelling solutions (including related networks) by providing parallel options in order to maximise decarbonisation (CNG (compresse d natural gas), LNG (liquefied natural gas), LPG, hydrogen, fast charge, battery exchange stations etc.) should be included in TEN-T road projects as a condition for eligibility.

Spanish presidency presses EU for fast support of electric vehicles

At a seminar at the EU Parliament on April 15, organised by Spanish MEP Teresa Riera Madurell, the Spanish Secretary General for Industry, Teresa Santero, presented her government’s strong support for the development of the electric car. Although indicating that hydrogen technology will be supported in the future, the need for fast action on the market development of clean vehicles will require immediate financial and regulatory support at all levels of the first commercial battery vehicles according to Ms. Santero. The EU Commission representative Philippe Jean, Director of the Automotive Unit of the Directorate for Enterprise and Industry, replied that indeed electric vehicles will come, both battery eletric cars as well as fuel cell vehicles, and that it will be important to identify how and when this will happen. Mr. Jean mentioned that the EU is facilitating standardisation and supports the development of electricity storage technology. He also indicated that Commissioner Tajani will inform the EU Parliament about the new strategy already the end of April and the EU Competiitiveness Council of May 25 will discuss the strategy. A representative of the European Transmission System operators ENTSOE pointed to the need for controlled recharging of battery vehicles and the investments required to reinforce the grid to allow large numbers to [...]

EU Commission will present Energy Action Plan this May.

The EU Commission announced its plan to present the EU Energy Action Plan for 2010- 2014 this May as a follow-up to the 2007-2009 the approved common European 20-20-20 energy policy and energy market policy in 2007 that resulted in the adoption of the energy and climate package. The Spanish EU presidency has presented a report on the priorities for the Action Plan taking the EU’s Second Strategic Energy Review as the basis. While the 2007-2009 plan concentrated on sustainability and the internal market, the new roadmap would focus on security of supply issues and technology development, including a revision of the EU’s Energy Efficiency Action Plan. The new energy Commissioner, Guenther Oettinger, said he would present proposals at the beginning of next year.

Events

World Hydrogen Energy Conference 2010 is opening its doors on May 16!

The World Hydrogen Energy Conference 2010, that will be held from May 16-21, 2010 in Essen, Germany, is opeing its doors on May 16. The objective of the 18th World Hydrogen Energy Conference is to promote hydrogen technologies and to identify scientific and strategic issues in the field of hydrogen and fuel cells giving answers based on the most advanced state of the art in science and engineering. Decision makers in politics, industry, research, and finance will be addressed in dedicated strategic sessions of the first conference day. Contributions from international experts will focus on the role and path of hydrogen in the energy economy. The major share of the programme is dedicated to the presentation of cutting-edge research and development on hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. The EHA and HyER (formerly HyRaMP) will join a stand in the exhibition area. WHEC 2010 is organized by the the State of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), member of HyER (formerly HyRaMP), and will also feature drive and rides, technical tours and a student’s day. For more information on the event and the call for papers please visit the WHEC 2010 website.

Hydrogen Hits the Roads

EU’s Clean and Energy Efficient Vehicles Strategy calls for joint action on infrastructure.

The European Hydrogen Association, EHA, (www.h2euro.org) welcomes the Commission’s Communication on Clean and Energy Efficient Vehciles (COM 2010/186) as an important step forward in policy support for green car technologies. The video’s, shown during Commissioner Tajani’s press conference (April 28, 2010) of hydrogen cars, filling up at public hydrogen refuelling stations in Berlin and driving through the center of Brussels, demonstrate that the European hydrogen and fuel cell sector, has achieved major technological breakthroughs over the last years to introduce hydrogen as the other energy carrier, next to electricity, to accelerate EU’s decarbonisation objectives for transport. Many European companies, including SME’s, are market leader in developing fuel cell and hydrogen applications and components as demonstrated at last week’s Hanover Fair, where the EHA joined over 140 companies gathered in the 16th H2 anf FC Group Exhibit . The EHA especially welcomes the Commission’s intention “to provide a leading role in working with Member States at national and regional level on the build-up of charging and refuelling infrastructure in the EU”. As indicated in its position paper on this strategy (for download at www.h2euro.org ), the EHA is fully committed to contribute actively to the assessment to be made “whether synergies exist [...]

BMW integrates a 5 kW fuel cell in new hybride 1 series.

BMW’s Forschung und Technik GmbH celebrates its silver anniversary and revealed the fuel cell hybrid series concept. BMW has been working on hydrogen-fueled vehicles since at least the mid-1990s, mostly focusing on the use of liquid hydrogen in internal combustion engines rather than fuel cell electric vehicles. This new concept is a through-the-road hybrid that uses both a small gasoline engine and a small five-kilowatt fuel cell powering super capacitors driving the 82 kW electro motor. An inline-four gasoline engine is transversely mounted and drives the front wheels. The UTC fuel cell, which is developed from one that BMW has been testing mainly as an auxiliary power unit to generate the electricity needed for the car, is mounted behind the engine. This fuel cell is used to charge the super-caps, which also store energy from regenerative braking. The electric drive can be used on its own for low-speed urban driving or combined with the engine for on-demand all-wheel drive and acceleration. At highway speeds, the engine provides primary drive. We don’t know if this concept drive train will go anywhere or if BMW will persist with the super-caps or switch to lithium ion batteries. BMW hasn’t revealed any details about electric driving [...]

National News

EU, UK and US issue renewable storage funding

With the increase in the use of renewable energy sources, the need for effective storage becomes greater. The UK Department of Energy and Climate Change recently awarded over £7 million to eight different firms to be spent on the creation of so-called smart technologies, including storage solutions.
Pump storage systems, like the one installed at Dinorwig power station in Wales, is one option which is already used when there is significant demand on the national grid. The pump storage system allows the generators at the plant to reach their maximum capacity in less than 16 seconds. However, as the system works by transferring the water between two lakes situated at different elevations, the usage of pump storage is hugely dependent on an area’s geography. Hydrogen represents another opportunity. The US Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) has recently provided even more funding, with $106 million (£68 million) going to 37 different projects, including some companies which are developing new types of batteries and hybrid storage systems consisting of battery and a fuel cells. The last JTI call included funding for storage and the renewable energy chapter of the next FP7 offers funding opportunites as well.

Skoda kicks of fuel cell bus demonstration in Czech Republic.

From this June a Skoda fuel cell hybride bus, powered by a 48 kW Proton Motor fuel cell and 22 Li-Ion batteries and 4 ultra capacitors, will be touring Neratovice in the Central Bohemian region of the Czech Republic. The bus will have a range of 250 km and stores hydrogen at 350 bar. The hydrogen is produced off site by the Linde Group. Storage will be upgraded to 700 bar. The bus has been funded by EU Strucutral funds and the Czech Ministry of Transport. The project is coordinated by the Nuclear Research Insitutute Rez. The institute is hosting the Czech Hydrogen Technology Platform who just applied for membership to the EHA.

South Netherlands and Flanders inaugurate Hydrogen Region

The EHA was invited to the inauguration of the Hydrogen Region Flanders South Netherlands. The Flemish Minister of Industry, Enterprise, Research, Innovation and Trade, Patricia Ceyssens, on April 28, 2009 kicked off project that totals € 14,1 mln. for three years to develop demonstration projects in the field of sustainable hydrogen production, portable refuelling stations, maritime and road transport vehicles and the use of waste hydrogen. Belgian based companies like Solvay, Umicore, Hydrogenics, Imec en VanHool are supporting the project. According to the Flemish minister the active involvement of Belgian industry and SME’s convinced her to support the project that is partly finaced by the EU Interreg programme.

Chancellor Merkel lays foundation for Wind Hydrogen Plant.

On 21. April Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel together with Brandenburg’s Prime Minister Platzeck laid the foundation stone for the first industrial hybrid power station in the world. It is developed and built by ENERTRAG. The plant will harness wind to produce electricity as per conventional wind turbines. But when there is too much wind for the grid to handle, that excess energy will be converted via electrolysis – the separation of chemical compounds by electric current – into hydrogen for storage. This hydrogen can then be mixed with biogas at a later stage and converted back into energy that can be used to power homes. The renewable energies company responsible for the project, Enertrag, says the process is carbon free and comes at no cost to the environment. Merkel said the first-of-its-kind project offers a glimpse into the future of clean energy production. “I am glad that an enterprise from the Uckermark (region) has developed this trendsetting project. The combination of renewable energy and energy storage will be a determining factor in a steady and climate-acceptable energy supply,” Chancellor Merkel said at the foundation stone-laying ceremony. Lutz Metz of the Environmental Policy Research Unit at the Free University in Berlin [...]