EU Policy News

NEW IG Board elected for the industry grouping of fuel cell and hydrogen technology

On 31 March 2010 the members of the Industry Grouping for Fuel Cell and Hydrogen technology (NEW-IG) elected its new Board, including three new board-members, Oliver Weinnman, (Vattenfal), Mikael Sloth (H2Logic), Karel Kapoun (Shell). The other members in the Board are Henry Winand (Intelligent Energy), Peter Froeschle (Daimler) and Pierre Etienne Franc 5Air Liquide).

Pierre Etienne Franc, Technologies of the Future Director at Air Liquide, is elected to be the new Chairman. He is taking over form Gijs van Breda Vriesman, Commercial Manager Europe – Global Hydrogen Lead Alternative Energies at Shell, who has lead the organisation for the past 4 years. The other Board-members are a good reflection of the broad scope of fuel cell and hydrogen technology, both in terms of sectors and in terms of geography.

Incoming chair Pierre Etienne Franc states “Fuel cell and hydrogen have an important role to play in the decarbonisation of the transport and energy-sector.  I am very pleased with my team reflecting the broad and strong commitment to this project”. Departing chair van Breda Vriesman adds “The commercialisation of fuel cell cars has entered a crucial phase and may become the first mass market for an FCH application. It is widely recognised that commercial deployment of fuel cell cars can only but benefit the development of other commercial applications”

Against the background of the EU ambition to decarbonise the Transport and Energy sector by 2050, the fuel cell and hydrogen sector have a very important role to play in contributing to the solution. The NEW-IG, as part of the Joint Undertaking for fuel cell and hydrogen technology, is an important driver of this development. Over the next months the NEW-IG will develop a concrete vision and roadmap for market-introduction of fuel cell vehicles and for the role of fuel cell and hydrogen technology can play in decarbonisation of the energy system. It is crucial that for the next decade not only sufficient funding for RD&D is secured, but also that a supportive regulatory framework is built for speeding up commercial deployment for FCH technology.

Pierre Etienne Franc points out that “fuel cell and hydrogen technology is already being applied in various early markets today like the back-up power sector and the logistics sector and the cars are close to commercial”. He concludes with stressing that “it is a strong signal that large companies like Daimler, Vattenfal, Air Liquide and Shell, together with one of the smaller but very successful companies like Intelligent Energy and H2Logic are putting their best people into the NEW-IG Board”

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