FCH JU becomes Clean Hydrogen Partnership

Ursula von der Leyen, © European Union
© European Union

During European Hydrogen Week, beginning of December 2021 in Brussels, the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, reaffirmed the role of Europe as leading in the expansion towards greater production of clean hydrogen. She explained to the nearly 2,000 registered participants, “This is without doubt a global undertaking, but I want Europe to lead the race.”

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Novel compression concept for hydrogen refueling stations based on metal hydrides

Project scope COSMHYCGas compression is a key process for transporting, distributing, storing and dispensing hydrogen. It accounts for a relevant share of costs and energy consumption in most hydrogen supply chains from initial hydrogen sourcing to final hydrogen use. Today, various compression technologies are applied, depending on use cases, flow rates, and input and output pressure levels.

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Hydrogen in National Energy and Climate Plans

Opportunities from the inclusion of hydrogen in NECPs

© Trinomics/LBST
© Trinomics/LBST

Ambitious energy and climate policy requires a determined, holistic and coordinated approach and implementation. The National Energy and Climate Plans, NECPs, represent the key mechanism for reporting on future policy between European Union member states and the European Commission in a consistent way. They are used by the commission to monitor EU-wide progress in achieving the 2030 targets and to identify necessary actions. The latest reporting period considered a 10-year timespan between 2021 and 2030. The draft NECPs were submitted by EU countries at the end of 2018 whereas the final version was due by the end of 2019 after a detailed assessment by the commission. In the context of hydrogen all EU member states are encouraged to develop and implement their own strategies to enable hydrogen deployment taking the European framework and guidance into account.

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EU Adopts PACE

The EU has decided to continue subsidizing fuel cell heating systems. The Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU) announced that on June 1, 2016, the European Union launched the PACE project (Pathway to a Competitive European FC mCHP market) with incentives worth EUR 34 million. Its aim is to have more than 2,650 micro-CHP systems installed at non-field test customers by February 2021 to support market ramp-up. At the same time, a monitoring project should provide the feedback needed to enhance any further developments.

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France’s Own Energy Transformation

la-poste_renault_maxity_electric_hydrogen
La Poste uses H2 vans by © Renault

Not too long ago, France’s capital had been the venue for the UN Climate Change Conference COP21. Even if hydrogen and fuel cell technology was not a separate item on the agenda, it is a good bet that many of the around 40,000 participants – from government officials to business associations and unions to environmental and religious organizations – have developed a basic understanding of this technology

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Development of a European FC Stack at ZSW

Autostack-CORE5
Stack installation in a test stand

The Auto Stack Core (Automotive Fuel Cell Stack Cluster Initiative for Europe II) cooperation project is a merger between 14 European auto manufacturers, suppliers, system integrators and research institutes. Working together, their goal is to develop a fuel cell stack (FC stack) for vehicle applications which satisfies the most advanced international aspirations in terms of performance, performance density, lifespan and effectiveness. On the basis of cooperation between these differing participants, the most optimum possible combination of the existing know-how should be achieved and the critical development interfaces coordinated efficiently.

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Roland Berger study calls for investment incentives for end customers

Roland-Berger-Cover“Stationary fuel cells in Europe are on the threshold of a commercial market launch.” This finding in the study by Roland Berger Strategy Consultants implies that the market launch of FC heating devices is yet to take place. So that a commercialization can take place, according to the analysis on the status of stationary fuel cell technology in Europe, “support by the state is required in the initial phase”.

In the scope of the study commissioned by the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU), the authors considered different types of stationary fuel cells in differing output ranges and areas of use, and ascertained that in Europe

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Frömmel and Melczer elected to the NEW-IG

new-ig-logoAt its annual meeting earlier this year, the New Energy World Industry Grouping (NEW-IG) elected its new executive board. The new members, who will initially serve for two years, are Thomas Melczer and Andreas Frömmel. Melczer, Director of Business Development at Proton Motor Fuel Cell, is now responsible for the

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