The EHA, at a cocktail at the EHEC on March 12, 2014 announced its ambition to map incentives that support the deployment of hydrogen and fuel cell applications. Industry as well as policy makers are keen to find out where the (support) action is in Europe. In a constantly changing policy landscape at EU (EC abandoning national renewable targets (COM204/15)) and local level deployment of commercial applications will need educated roll out plans. Insight in national and local incentives is therfore crucial. As part of its ongoing efforts to map progress at national and local level and in view of the commercialisation plans and HRS roll out the EHA will mobilize its national associations to map incentives for H2 and FC applications. A first glimpse might already be presented at the next Annual General Meeting this summer.
Defying the logic and realties of current EU crisis policy, the EHEC 2014 in Sevilla organized by the Spanish Hydrogen Association and supported by the EHA, saw record participation and a radical shift in content of presentations towards deployment. Hydrogen station planning using GIS and OS systems, trip planning and customer profiling are entering the H2and FC research realms creating the sensation of H2 entering the Hoods. Indeed these studies are carried out already for Sevilla and Andalusia by Abengoa. Presentations on ongoing efforts in the Mediterranean on large wind energy mobilisation for an more industrial use of renewable produced hydrogen and solar thermo chemical conversion of H2 and CO2 (our of Northern Europe) demonstrated that countries surrounding the Mare nostrum have not lost their appetite for new horizons. That Columbus is buried in the nearby Sevilla Cathedral explains only part of this fervor.