At the opening ceremony of the World Hydrogen Energy Conference in Essen on May 16 the Japanese minister for Research, responsible for NEDO, the Japanese New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organisation, and Nilgun Parker representing Peter Ramsauer, Minister of Transport, Construction and Urban Development signed an Memorandum of Understanding on future collaboration  in developing  the hydrogen infrastructure and in mobile and stationary applications. Mr. Ramsauer in his introductory speech on Monday called Essen the World Capital of Hydrogen. Germany has established two programmes for electric transport one for battery and one for fuel cells and hydrogen one with a total budget of € 2  bln for development till 2016 of which 1,4 for fuel cells.  Minister. Gang Wan of the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology presented 1000 hybrid, battery and fuel cell vehicles.  Solar panel 1,6 MW and 1000 MW wind power Three mobile hydrogen refuelling stations using gas and coal gas are refeulling the fuel cell cars with 350 and 700 bar compressed hydrogen. Hydrogen and Fuels are included in China’s 2006-2020 National Mid to Long Term  Science and Technology Plan. A National H2 Strategic Plan and Fiscal Investment in foreseen in the near future as well.
At the opening ceremony the Awards of School Student Competition of the International Partnership for Hydrogen and Fuel cells in the Economy (formerly International Partnership for the Hydrogen Economy, IPHE). The Japanese Akita High School won the competition for their fuel cell racing cars.  The second price was awarded to the Latvian School for Foreign Languages. The US Student Design Competition received an award for their winning project on the design for hydrogen refuelling station. The German Jugend Forscht science competition integrated the IPHE school competition and the winning project was a hydrogen sensor project of a Stuttgart school.