With Obama touring the Hannover Fair during the early morning hours, the 20th edition of H2 and FC  and Battery Group Exhibit saw a series of US updates in its public and technical fora  on the first day of the fair. With a pavilion dedicated to US FC and H2 technologies all eyes were on the recent request for information (RFI) of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Fuel Cell Technologies Office (FCTO) to obtain feedback and opinions from industry, academia, research laboratories, government agencies, and other stakeholders on technical and economic barriers for fuel cell-related technologies. In particular, FCTO seeks information regarding research and development needs to improve performance and reduce cost of bipolar plates for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells, and ways to lower the high cost of hydrogen refueling stations. These high costs for hydrogen refueling stations may be caused by extensive installation and permitting effort or low equipment utilization. The RFI asks for feedback on concepts like co-location of hydrogen stations with existing compressed natural gas stations and mobile hydrogen refueling delivery service. FCTO is specifically interested in information on cost avoidance and its effect on fuel cost to the consumer.

This years’ Group exhibit, that the EHA is joining for the 10th time in a row, is looking at a record breaking number of 160 exhibitors  including 30 new companies. The EHA stand is featuring the latest infrastructure developments in EHA national association member countries. The map has rapidly becoming the Group Exhbit selfie hotspot; today Chinese, Russian, Taiwanese and Iranian visitors snapped their pictures in fron of the EHA map.

Latest news; Sweden’s large energy and steel companies are waking up to hydrogen. The Norwegian government agency Eneva is contributing 19,6 mln NOK, around €2 mln,  to the development of four hydrogen powered trucks and 10 forklift trucks of Norway’s largest transport company ASKO. The hydrogen will be produces by ASKO’s solar plant of its logistics facility in Trondheim.  From more info see the website of EHA’s Norwegian association member. Switzerland’s COOP supermarket chain will open a hydrogen station soon,