This report of the High Level Group for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies sets out a vision for these technologies in future sustainable energy systems - improving energy security of supply and air quality, whilst mitigating climate change.

The report recommends actions for developing world-class European hydrogen technologies and fostering their commercial exploitation. The High Level Group comprised key stakeholders from industry, the research community and public authorities. It was initiated by Vice President Loyola de Palacio and Commissioner Philippe Busquin, in association with President Romano Prodi.

The energy challenge

Worldwide demand for energy is growing at an alarming rate. The European “World Energy Technology and Climate Policy Outlook” (WETO) predicts an average growth rate of 1.8% per annum for the period 2000-2030 for primary energy worldwide. The increased demand is being met largely by reserves of fossil fuel that emit both greenhouse gasses and other pollutants. Those reserves are diminishing and they will become increasingly expensive. Currently, the level of CO2 emissions per capita for developing nations is 20% of that for the major industrial nations. As developing nations industrialise, this will increase substantially. By 2030, CO2 emissions from developing nations could account for more than half the world CO2 emissions. Industrialised countries should lead the development of new energy systems to offset this.

Energy security is a major issue. Fossil fuel, particularly crude oil, is confined to a few areas of the world and continuity of supply is governed by political, economic and ecological factors. These factors conspire to force volatile, often high fuel prices while, at the same time, environmental policy is demanding a reduction in greenhouse gases and toxic emissions.

A coherent energy strategy is required, addressing both energy supply and demand, taking account of the whole energy lifecycle including fuel production, transmission and distribution, and energy conversion, and the impact on energy equipment manufacturers and the end-users of energy systems.

In the short term, the aim should be to achieve higher energy efficiency and increased supply from European energy sources, in particular renewables. In the long term, a hydrogen-based economy will have an impact on all these sectors. In view of technological developments, vehicle and component manufacturers, transport providers, the energy industry, and even householders are seriously looking at alternative energy sources and fuels and more efficient and cleaner technologies – especially hydrogen and hydrogen-powered fuel cells.

In this document, the High Level Group highlights the potential of hydrogen-based energy systems globally, and for Europe in particular, in the context of a broad energy and environment strategy. It then proposes research structures and actions necessary for their development and market deployment.

Download Hydrogen Energy and Fuel Cells: A Vision of Our Future

PDF format, 489KB, 35Pages. Provided by Europa.eu.

European Commission
EUR 20719 EN – Hydrogen Energy and Fuel Cells – A vision of our future
Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities
2003 - 36 pp. - 21 x 29,7 cm
ISBN 92-894-5589-6

CONTENTS:

1. The energy challenge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 09
2. Why hydrogen and fuel cells? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Energy security and supply 12
Economic competitiveness 13
Air quality and health improvements 13
Greenhouse gas reduction 13
3. What can Europe do? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
The political framework 16
– Coordinating policy measures 17
The Strategic Research Agenda 17
– Implementing the research agenda 18
A deployment strategy for hydrogen and fuel cells 19
– Implementing the transition to hydrogen and fuel cells 19
– Funding the transition 20
A European roadmap for hydrogen and fuel cells 21
– In the short and medium term (to 2010) 21
– In the medium term (to 2020) 22
– In the medium to long term (beyond 2020) 22
The European Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology Partnership 22
4. Summary, conclusions and recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
TECHNICAL ANNEX
Hydrogen and fuel cell technologies and related challenges 25
ANNEX I High
Level Group on Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Technologies 32
ANNEX II High
Level Group on Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Technologies: Sherpas 33

FORWARD:

Energy is the very lifeblood of today’s society and economy. Our work, leisure, and our economic, social and physical welfare all depend on the sufficient, uninterrupted supply of energy. Yet we take it for granted – and energy demand continues to grow, year after year. Traditional fossil energy sources such as oil are ultimately limited and the growing gap between increasing demand and shrinking supply will, in the not too distant future, have to be met increasingly from alternative primary energy sources.

We must strive to make these more sustainable to avoid the negative impacts of global climate change, the growing risk of supply disruptions, price volatility and air pollution that are associated with today’s energy systems. The energy policy of the European Commission(1) advocates securing energy supply while at the same time reducing emissions that are associated with climate change. This calls for immediate actions to promote greenhouse gas emissions-free energy sources such as renewable energy sources, alternative fuels for transport and to increase energy efficiency.

On the technology front, hydrogen, a clean energy carrier that can be produced from any primary energy source, and fuel cells which are very efficient energy conversion devices, are attracting the attention of public and private authorities. Hydrogen and fuel cells, by enabling the so-called hydrogen economy, hold great promise for meeting in a quite unique way, our concerns over security of supply and climate change.

With these factors in mind, we established the High Level Group for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies in October 2002, and asked its members to come forward in six months with a collective vision of how these technologies could help meet Europe’s aspirations for sustainable energy systems. This report is the result and, we believe, a first milestone.

The report highlights the need for strategic planning and increased effort on research, development and deployment of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. It also makes wideranging recommendations for a more structured approach to European Energy policy and research, for education and training, and for developing political and public awareness.

Foremost amongst its recommendations is the establishment of a European Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology Partnership and Advisory Council to guide the process.

Security of energy supply is of major concern for the European Union. As North Sea production peaks, our dependence on imported oil – vital for today’s transport systems – is forecast to grow from around 75% today, to in excess of 85% by 2020, much of it coming from the Middle East. We have also witnessed the disruption and economic loss caused by recent major grid outages in North America and Italy, illustrating the need to reinforce security of supply. In the transatlantic summit held on 25th June 2003 in Washington, President Prodi, Prime Minister Simitis and President Bush stated that the European Union and the United States should co-operate to accelerate the development of the hydrogen economy as a means of addressing energy security and environmental concerns.

Hydrogen based energy systems can build bridges to the future, but planning a costeffective and efficient transition is hugely complex. The very large capital and human investments implied will require many years before coming to fruition. However, we must begin now to explore this path to a more sustainable future.

The High Level Group’s vision was presented at the conference “The hydrogen economy – a bridge to sustainable energy” held in Brussels in June 2003 and presided over by President Prodi. The group’s vision and recommendations were strongly supported. We therefore endorse the recommendations of the High level Group and the need for action today. That is why we intend to launch a “European Partnership for the Sustainable Hydrogen Economy” as soon as possible, to mobilize a broad range of stakeholders and structure a coherent effort on advancing sustainable hydrogen and fuel cell technologies in Europe.

Finally, we wish to thank the members of the High Level Group and their “sherpas” for the very considerable time and effort put in to reaching this collective vision, which we believe will prove influential in paving the way to a sustainable hydrogen economy.

Loyola de Palacio
Vice President of the European Commission,
Commissioner for Transport and Energy
Philippe Busquin
Commissioner for Research

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