via VanHool SPONSORED CONTENT FROM FCH JU Hydrogen power for Europe’s green energy transformation Hydrogen-powered buses and taxis are already on roads, now the technology is the best option available to store clean energy on a large scale for transport, heating and industry

Hydrogen and fuel cells can become an everyday reality in Europe to store renewable energy on a large scale for all energy needs, from transport and heating buildings, to the production of steel, ammonia and fertilizers.

Hydrogen can contribute up to 24 percent of Europe’s energy needs, reduce CO 2 emissions by 650 million metric tons, create 5.4 million jobs and generates €820 billion annually in Europe by 2050, according to an FCH JU study.

The FCH JU is leading the way in developing the cutting-edge technologies needed to realize hydrogen’s energy potential. Since 2008, the public-private partnership has funded over 246 hydrogen research and demonstration projects.

The results? More than 50 fuel cell powered buses are transporting people in cities such as Cologne with zero emissions to the air. Energy and water are the end products of hydrogen power.

Right now, right here

Soon, over 300 new hydrogen-powered buses will be added to those already on the road in another 27 cities, including Rotterdam and Toulouse. In 2019, about 80 buses were ordered. The infrastructure to recharge their fuel cells with hydrogen is being built right now.

Cars, light-duty vehicles, trucks, trains and ships are next in line to benefit from the breakthroughs being achieved with hydrogen power. Fuel efficiency has increased threefold over 15 years while refueling time has more than halved to around three minutes for a complete fill.

In total, about 1,700 hydrogen-powered cars have hit European roads since 2011 and around 2,000 light-duty vehicles are being tested through FCH JU demonstration projects. Many are being used, for example, by police forces in London and taxi firms in Paris.

Other projects are preparing trials for new hybrid hydrogen-electric vehicles, demonstrating cars produced by European SMEs, including next-generation cars and microcabs.

These cutting-edge vehicles need an equally modern energy network to power them. Today Europe has around 136 hydrogen refueling stations, half of which are supported through the FCH JU. Germany has the highest number of stations installed and, according to the European alternative fuel infrastructure directive, around 840 will be built in Europe by 2025.

Cutting-edge electrolyzers

Better, cheaper electrolyzers are needed to produce the hydrogen necessary to make Europe a renewable-energy powerhouse. Thanks to cutting-edge research, Europe has become a world leader in innovative electrolyzers — which use electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. Technology costs have dramatically reduced and performance levels have surged from kilowatt to megawatt scale.

Since 2011, capacity has increased from 100kW to 10,000kW (10MW) with immediate plans to reach 20,000kW. In July 2019, construction started on a 10MW electrolyzer in Germany — the world’s largest using proton exchange membrane technology — which will produce up to 1,300 metric tons of hydrogen per year at peak operation.

FCH energy technology moves faster than regulations. The industry is bringing the first products to the market, which must be supported by adequate legislation.

This big shift in just a few years in Europe demonstrates the potential of hydrogen as a clean fuel. The possibilities are being demonstrated by developing European ‘hydrogen valleys’, where the infrastructure is in place to produce and use hydrogen efficiently.

For example, Orkney in the U.K. has achieved much with its fully integrated model of hydrogen production, storage, transportation and use for heat, power and transport. The islands produce more clean energy from tidal and wind power than can be used locally or sold. Any excess is stored as hydrogen, which then powers vehicles, charges ferries and heats buildings locally.

This model is being replicated in rural and urban areas across Europe. A much larger hydrogen valley has just been launched in North Netherlands which will use California’s Silicon Valley as a model to connect towns and ports across the Groningen, Drenthe and Friesland regions.

Successful partnerships

Market uptake from major companies and public authorities has boosted confidence in hydrogen as a cornerstone of Europe’s energy transition. People are beginning to take notice. The public-private partnership provides the resources to tackle the high risks, research and development costs and overcome possible market failures.

Public finances are needed because industry alone cannot mitigate these challenges. Knowledge is shared widely among FCH JU’s stakeholders so that new products and services can reach the market more quickly and in a cost-effective way.

But more needs to be done. FCH energy technology moves faster than regulations. The industry is bringing the first products to the market, which must be supported by adequate legislation.

Ongoing FCH JU investment in cutting-edge projects has enabled the acceleration of technological development.

For example, hydrogen plays an integral role in meeting the International Maritime Organization’s targets to decarbonize the sector by 50 percent by 2050. However, currently there is no regulation in place to support this.

A prototype regulation can work, but typically, it can take many years for changes to be implemented. This is just one example of the barriers that exist today, blocking the expansion of hydrogen power and fuel-cell technologies towards a greener Europe.

Europe is showing strong leadership, which must be maintained by accelerating and scaling up technology while developing the necessary supply chain and lowering costs.

Ongoing FCH JU investment in cutting-edge projects has enabled the acceleration of technological development to the point where real-world FCH solutions are on the verge of wide-scale distribution.

About the FCH JU

A unique public-private partnership, the FCH JU contributes to the development of sustainable and globally competitive FCH technology in Europe. By bringing together a wide range of industrial and scientific partners combining diverse skills and functions, it supports EU approaches on sustainable energy and transport, climate change and industrial competitiveness.

More info:

The Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking

BIG HIT project in Orkney

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