Czech Hydrogen Technology Platform (HYTEP) is a non-profit organization aiming to integrate activities of its members towards introduction of hydrogen technology to the commercial production and use in the broad spectra of application areas. Beside technical development it includes also dissemination of information on this specific and highly innovative field of technology and education of new specialists. The membership includes all type of institutions, like universities, public and private research institutions as well as commercial industrial subjects.
The main activity of HYTEP has focused in 2011 on the preparation of the Implementation Action Plan of hydrogen technologies in the Czech Republic, identifying expertise of individual partners and potential of the Czech industry to participate in the specific parts of this particular Hi-Tech segment. Major activities in the technical development were during this year realized by the HYTEP member subjects.
Series of research projects were realized by the HYTEP members focused predominantly on the development of the water electrolysis technology and partly also on the fuel cells application. Whereas the water electrolysis related projects are directed mainly to the components and small scale systems development, fuel cell related research deals predominantly with improvement of life time of the units and with description of their degradation processes. In parallel new research infrastructure is going to be set‑up in the West Bohemia to be used for the research of hydrogen related processes.
Within the framework of the dissemination activities a “Day for Fuels” was organized on May 2012 in Prague with attendance of several hundreds of participants, including lecture as well practical demonstrations. Another event represented one day demonstration of Honda Clarity cars and hydrogen filling station oriented on the journalists bringing about rising interest of public media in this technology. Steadily also continues utilization of the fuel cell powered bus for public demonstration purposes.
Significant success was reached also in the field of education of new specialists in the field of hydrogen processes consisting in accreditation of a new study program named “Hydrogen and membrane processes”, at this stage on the bachelor level. At the same time study program of European Master in Membrane Processes and Materials Engineering has obtained accreditation of the Czech Ministry for Education, Youths and Sports. It includes hydrogen economy oriented processes.
In the year 2012 the endeavor will be made to finalize Implementation Action Plan and to introduce it to the officials responsible for the national policy in the field of energy systems. Significant attention will be paid to extension of the research and demonstration activities of the individual HYTEP members and also of the other subjects active in this field and to their coordination.