FAQ

Overview of the US Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Industries

Since the 1960s, the USA has had active fuel cell and hydrogen research programmes, with the use of alkaline fuel cell (AFC) technology in NASA’s Apollo space missions providing a specific driver. The success of these 2.2kW AFC units secured a role for a larger, 12kW design in the Space Shuttle Program, with 24 units used on 112 flights from 1981 onwards. In recent years, the number of US Government programmes and, more significantly, the associated budgets have increased dramatically, with a particular focus on hydrogen as a fuel for transport in fuel cell vehicles and, to a somewhat lesser extent, for stationary distributed power generation. The majority of large corporate entities in the energy field also have some form of research and demonstration programme related to fuel cell technology.

Key features of the US fuel cells and hydrogen industries are as follows:

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has been one of the primary funding sources for fuel cell and hydrogen technology research and development, with several major programmes and, increasingly, coordinated and high profile initiatives.

Programme activity supporting the development of fuel cells for transportation started in 1987 with a budget of $0.9 million, and the budget requested for 2004 was around $70 million. These programmes are focusing on PEM fuel cell technology. Similarly, authorisation of support programmes for hydrogen technologies came about in 1992 with a budget of $2.5 million, with a total of more than $104 million being requested for 2004. Stationary fuel cell programmes are comparably large, with total budgets currently in excess of $34 million being directed at SOFC, molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC), PEM fuel cell and hybrid systems developments.

• Additional DOE funding is directed at three public-private partnerships focused on automotive and stationary power applications of fuel cells – i.e. the FreedomCAR Partnership (with over $91 million requested for 2004), the 21st Century Truck Partnership (seeking over $57 million for 2004) and the Solid State Energy Conversion Alliance (with a current budget of $34 million).

A further public-private partnership aiming to develop a zero emission coal-fired power plant (‘FutureGen’), which may well incorporate fuel cell technologies, is currently being formulated.

• The US Department of Defense (DoD) and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has been instrumental in supporting fuel cell and hydrogen related R&D and in testing and validating systems in the field. Across the various defence agencies and army, navy and air force 6 US FUEL CELL MISSION services, between $20 million and $25 million is spent annually on these technologies. This support, particularly for ‘beta’ prototype system testing, has been crucial for a number of fuel cell developers.

• Total financial support from the US Federal Government in support of fuel cell and hydrogen technologies amounts to approximately $355 million annually.

US Energy Policy and Fuel Cells and Hydrogen

The energy policy framework in the USA is complex. Although the USA has declined to sign the Kyoto Protocol for limiting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, it acknowledges the need to address climate change and to develop carbon management strategies and technologies, including, significantly, those covering hydrogen and fuel cells.

In 1996, the Hydrogen Future Act replaced the earlier Spark M Matsunaga Hydrogen Research Development and Demonstration Act of 1990, and authorised additional spending on the RD&D of hydrogen production, storage, transport and use. This subsequent Act also required the Hydrogen Technical Advisory Panel (HTAP), formed in 1992 under the Matsunaga Act, to advise the Energy Secretary on the implementation of DOE’s programmes in this area, to analyse the effectiveness of the DOE’s activities and to make recommendations for future legislation, programmes and funding.

National Hydrogen Energy Vision Roadmap

Before President Bush announced the $1.7 billion FreedomCAR and Fuels Initiatives, the DOE consulted widely amongst the business community, federal and state energy policy officials, academics, environmental organizations and national laboratories. This led to the development of a ‘Vision”, which identified some of the key drivers affecting the future of hydrogen energy and suggested a way forward.

The major findings of the Vision were:

• Hydrogen has the potential to solve two of the major energy challenges facing the USA – reducing dependence on imported oil and reducing pollution and GHG emissions.

• Hydrogen could play an important role in US energy in the future. However, the transition to a hydrogen economy could take several decades.

• The ‘technology readiness’ of hydrogen energy systems needs to be accelerated, particularly in addressing: – the lack of efficient, affordable production processes;

– lightweight, small volume and affordable storage devices; and

– Cost-competitive fuel cells.

• There is a ‘chicken-and-egg’ issue regarding the development of a hydrogen energy infrastructure. Even when hydrogen devices are ready for broad market applications, if consumers do not have convenient access to hydrogen (as they currently have with petrol, electricity or natural gas), then they will not accept hydrogen as a fuel of choice.

US Federal Government Activities

A significant number of US Federal Government agencies are directly involved in supporting fuel cells and hydrogen technologies:

• US Department of Energy (DOE), US Department of Defense (DoD) and The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA),National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), US Department of Transportation (DOT), US Department of Commerce (DOC) – National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST), US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Science Foundation (NSF), National Park Service.

In July 2005, the U.S. Congress passed a five-year Energy Policy bill, laying out the federal government’s energy programs, funding priorities and tax policies for fiscal years 2006 through 2010. However, the legislation does include over $3.5 billion over five years for hydrogen and fuel cell related programs.

With this funding, Congress directs the DOE to carry out projects and activities with the private sector in seven program categories:

1. Hydrogen production from diverse sources, including fossil fuels, hydrogen carrier fuels such as methanol and ethanol, renewable sources, and nuclear energy.

2. Hydrogen for commercial, industrial, and residential electric power generation.

3. Safe delivery of hydrogen or carrier fuels.

4. Advanced vehicle technologies including engine and emissions controls; energy storage, electric propulsion and hybrid systems; automotive materials; and others.

5. Storage of hydrogen or carrier fuels.

6. Development of safe, durable, affordable and efficient fuel cells, with an emphasis on improved manufacturing processes, high-temperature membranes, cost-effective natural gas fuel processing, stack and system reliability, low temperature operation and cold start capability.

7. Domestic auto companies’ ability to manufacture commercially available, competitive hybrid vehicle technologies in the U.S.

This section does not specify the programs beyond these broad categories. Rather than being overly prescriptive, Congress instead opted to allow DOE to develop the projects and activities, with the energy bill setting technical targets for vehicles, hydrogen energy and infrastructure, and fuel cells that must be met through these funded activities. These technical targets are based on those set forth by the DOE Hydrogen Program. For vehicles, the goals are to enable automakers to make a commitment by 2015 to offer commercially viable fuel cell vehicles, and to begin production and delivery of consumer-acceptable fuel cell vehicles by 2020. These fuel cell vehicles must demonstrate significantly better fuel economy and lower emissions than comparable 2005 vehicles, and must have equivalent or better safety systems. For hydrogen energy and infrastructure, the goals are to enable a commitment in 2015 that will lead to a hydrogen infrastructure by 2020 that offers safe and convenient refueling, improved efficiency, and widespread availability of hydrogen from domestic sources;

Two fuel cell bus demonstration programs are established through other provisions in the energy bill. The bill creates a $50 million program to demonstrate up to 25 fuel cell transit buses and infrastructure in five geographically dispersed locations over five years. The second program is a $100 million program to develop and demonstrate fuel cell school buses from 2006 through 2009.

DOE may offer similar incentives to state governments that purchase fuel cell vehicles for their fleets. The bill authorizes $15 million for 2008; $25 million for 2009; and $65 million for 2010.

There is a comparable program for acquisition of stationary, 2010, in order to meet energy savings goals outlined in this provision. DOE will provide the cost differential between the fuel cell vehicle (and infrastructure) and a comparable alternative vehicle. If the DOE determines that no viable fuel cell option is available to meet a particular agency’s needs, then that agency is exempt from this provision. DOE may offer similar incentives to state governments that purchase fuel cell vehicles for their fleets. The bill authorizes $15 million for 2008; $25 million for 2009; and $65 million for 2010.

FreedomCAR Partnership

In his 2003 State of the Union Address, President Bush announced a new program designed to ensure that the United States become a world leader in hydrogen-powered automobiles. This program, which builds upon the President’s FreedomCAR (“Cooperative Automotive Research”) program, will invest a total of $1.7 billion to develop hydrogen-powered fuel cells, hydrogen infrastructure, and advanced automotive technologies, the President pledged.

Known as the FreedomCAR and Hydrogen Fuel Initiative, the President’s program will partner with the private sector to make it practical to choose fuel cell vehicles by 2020. The program also will improve America's energy security by fostering the transition from petroleum fuel to hydrogen, thus reducing the demand for imported oil.

The FreedomCar and Hydrogen Fuel Initiative established teams to address advanced combustion and emission control, electrical and electronics, electrochemical storage, fuel cell systems, hydrogen storage and vehicle interface, and materials.

FreedomCar was first launched in January 2002. It is a partnership between DOE and DaimlerChrysler, Ford, and General Motors.

The 21st Century Truck Partnership

This partnership, launched in 2000, is a cooperative effort among key members of the heavy vehicle industry, truck manufacturers, hybrid propulsion developers, engine manufacturers and several federal agencies.

The aims are similar to the FreedomCAR Partnership, but focused on enhancing technologies for heavy vehicles to improve safety, efficiency and environmental performance. Ultimately, the Partnership seeks to develop trucks and buses that use sustainable and self-sufficient energy sources, thereby enhancing the industry’s competitiveness.

Vehicle Technologies (FCVT) Program

Launched in 2002, the FCVT Program is, essentially, a bringing together of the

FreedomCAR Partnership, the 21st Century Truck Partnership and various other activities in other EERE programmes of relevance to fuel cells and hydrogen technologies.

The FCVT Program aims to expand its emphasis on energy storage and materials technologies critical for fuel cell and hybrid internal combustion engine (ICE)/electric vehicles.

Hydrogen, Fuel Cells and Infrastructure Technologies (HFC&IT) Program

The HFC&IT Program was launched in 2001 and replaced a number of previous programmes (i.e. the Fuel Cells for Transportation, Fuel Cells in Buildings and DOE Hydrogen Programs).

The DOE’s budget for the HFC&IT Program for FY 2004 $165.5 million (broadly divided into $77.5 million for fuel cells and $88.0 million for hydrogen).

California Fuel Cell Partnership

The California Fuel Cell Partnership (CaFCP) is a collaboration of auto companies, fuel providers, fuel cell developers, and government agencies. It was established in 1999 to demonstrate vehicle technology and alternative fuel infrastructure and to explore the path to commercialization, including increasing public awareness.

The CaFCP provides a centralized facility and other support for fuel cell vehicles being tested on California roads. The partners pool resources and work in committees to develop consensus on the partnership’s major activities.

A headquarters facility in West Sacramento, California, houses vehicle maintenance bays, a hydrogen fueling station, and a methanol fueling station. Additional satellite fueling stations are in operation elsewhere in the state. The CaFCP has roughly 43 FCVs statewide and seven hydrogen fuel stations.

Bus Demonstrations

The U.S. government has supported research into fuel cell buses since the early 1980s. At that time, it appeared that fuel cells in transportation would need to focus on buses given their size, duty cycles, and centralized refueling and operation and maintenance. The program was led by DOE; the program produced the first U.S.-developed fuel cell buses a fleet of three 30-foot buses on Bus Manufacturing Industries platforms. The first unit was unveiled in 1994. They were methanol-fueled hybrids utilizing phosphoric acid fuel cells. One unit has operated for nearly 10 years under a program managed by Georgetown University.

Funding shifted to the Department of Transportation in 1993. The second phase of the program focused on building two PEM hybrid buses on 40-foot Nova Bus platforms, one using a Ballard (EXCELLSIS) engine and one using a United Technologies Corporation engine. The buses were delivered in 1998 and 2001.

Georgetown University has managed the program since the beginning and is seeking funding for a third generation of buses.

The CAFCP also has a transit bus program. This program began with a Zebus provided by Ballard, which successfully completed an 18-month test at SunLine Transit Agency. The CaFCP currently plans to demonstrate seven fuel cell buses beginning in 2004. The buses will operate for two years in regular transit service, carrying fare-paying customers over normal routes. As discussed in greater detail in the bus section of this report, three buses will be deployed by AC Transit, three buses will be deployed by Santa Clara VTA, and one bus will be deployed by SunLine Transit.

Hydrogen has been a priority of the European Commission at least since 2001, when its Alternative Motor Fuel Communication suggested that by 2020, 20% of motor fuel should be from non petroleum sources and identified “a possible market share of 5% by 2020 for hydrogen.” To date, Europe has focused much of its attention on fuel cell buses.

The Clean Urban Transport for Europe (CUTE) project was established in 2001, and a “contact group” was put to work to develop scenarios for meeting the 2020 targets. The EU leadership convened a Hydrogen and Fuel Cell High Level Group in 2002 to develop a vision statement, which was published in May 2003. One of the recommendations was creation of a European Platform for the Sustainable Hydrogen Economy with public and private participation. The first “General Assembly” is scheduled for early 2004.

Late in 2003, the EU announced a massive research program in energy, communications, and electronics that envisions spending tens of billions of Euro by 2015, including €2.8 billion on hydrogen. The plan sets a “down payment” for hydrogen of €500 million by 2007, with another €1.2 billion in 2007–2012.

CUTE

CUTE is a comprehensive demonstration of fuel cell buses in nine European Cities. The European Commission is contributing €18.5 million to the project. Buses began operating in 2003. When the project is fully under way, three Citaro buses will be operating in revenue service in each of nine European cities: Amsterdam, Barcelona, Hamburg, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, Porto, Stockholm, and Stuttgart. The buses will operate on existing routes alongside conventional buses. Fueling stations have been designed to test a variety of feedstocks, infrastructure strategies, and safety requirements in center cities. DaimlerChrysler will supply the Citaro fuel cell buses. A companion project is ECTOS, a four-year project in Reykjavik, Iceland, which is also testing three Citaro fuel cell buses.

FEBUSS

The FEBUSS4 project is a five-year program designed to develop a hydrogen-fueled 100-kW PEM fuel cell power module that is standardized for transit and stationary applications. Cost reduction is the main driver. FEBUSS began in 2002 and is backed by the European Union. FEBUSS includes a two-year test of two power modules to evaluate data on maintenance costs, system reliability, and other factors critical to market development.

FEBUSS was established under the premise that the best path to commercialization of fuel cells is a systems approach aimed at meeting end-user defined objectives and constraints. The project

brings together end-users, system designers, fuel cell component suppliers, and safety and regulatory specialists.5

The Fuel Cell Bus for Berlin, Copenhagen, Lisbon

Several European manufacturers and public transit agencies are participating in this project with financial support from the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Transport and Energy under the ENERGIE program. The aim is to demonstrate a fuel cell bus using liquefied hydrogen in central cities. The bus will be operated, in turn, by the transit operators in Berlin, Copenhagen, and Lisbon. In addition, BVG (Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe), the Berlin transit agency, has ordered two double-decker fuel cell buses under a German Ministry for Economics program.

The filling station installed in 2002 at BVG's depot will be used for the fuel cell bus fleet that BVG anticipates putting into service in the coming years.6

CITYCELL

This hydrogen bus demonstration initially was a 48-month program designed to operate in four countries and involve five fuel cell buses, but as of mid-2003, it was only active in Spain, sharing the hydrogen filling station in Madrid with the CUTE buses. Irisbus is the bus supplier so far.

ENERGIE

ENERGIE, the non-nuclear energy program of the European Union, supports several fuel cell and electric vehicle transport projects. The program’s goal is to identify CO2 reduction strategies. Priorities in the transport sector are “to optimize combustion technologies using cleaner hydrocarbon fuels and other alternative fuels, such as hydrogen; to develop and demonstrate hybrid and electric propulsion systems, such as batteries, fuel cells, fuel processors and other energy storage and conversion devices and hybrid systems; to demonstrate innovative public and private transport systems by making comparative assessments of the energy efficiency, emissions, feasibility, reliability, safety, operability and economics of alternative vehicles; promoting the advanced transport technologies made in the EU.”

Munich Airport Demonstration Project

The Munich airport project is a multi-company demonstration of hydrogen refueling stations and fuel cell and hydrogen-fueled vehicles. The airport has two fueling units, one providing gaseous hydrogen for three MAN buses and the other for refueling BMW liquid hydrogen ICE vehicles. The project began in 1999 and is funded until 2006. Ballard Power Systems and MAN recently announced additional shipments of fuel cell buses to the project in 2004. Proton Motors, Still and Linde plan to run a fuel-cell-operated forklift truck at the airport.

Clean Energy Partnership (CEP) Berlin

CEP is a consortium of nine corporate partners and the German Federal Government. The goal is to demonstrate hydrogen fuel for cars and buses. The partners – Aral, the BMW Group, Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG), DaimlerChrysler, Ford, GM/Opel, Hydro/GHW, Linde, and Vattenfall Europe – are supplying the infrastructure, technology, and vehicles for this five-year project. In 2004, a hydrogen fueling station is planned, and up to 30 vehicles will be tested.

Like many technologies, the fuel cell has its origins in the United Kingdom. The world’s first fuel cell was demonstrated by British judge and scientist Sir William Grove in 1839. Over forty years later, there is still a great deal of interest in fuel cells in the United Kingdom. Over 100 organisations have an active involvement in fuel cells or related areas. Around half of this number are employed by the ten most active organisations in the country, which include Accentus, Eneco, Imperial College, Intelligent Energy, Johnson Matthey, Morgan Fuel Cell and Rolls-Royce.

Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFC) are dominant (as they are in the rest of the world), although interestingly Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) technology is not far behind. The UK is stronger than most countries in Alkaline Fuel Cells (AFC), but comparatively weak in Direct Methanol Fuel Cells (DMFC). It has almost no experience with the other two principal fuel cell types, Molten Carbonate (MCFC) and Phosphoric Acid (PAFC).

In the last three years, the UK share of patent applications relating to fuel cells has been negligible, standing at around 1.5 percent, compared to 13 percent in Germany and 12 percent in Japan.

Investment in the technology by the government and corporate sector has been limited. Although the UK Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has supported around 150 projects since it established a fuel cell program in 1992, the sums invested – around £92 million over a decade, £12 million of which came from government sources – are very small in comparison with other countries.

The UK fuel cell industry is growing rapidly, and all the signs suggest that it will continue to gain momentum in the years to come.

Furthermore, awareness of fuel cells within government has grown tremendously in the UK in the last two years. The government’s Powering Future Vehicles strategy, for example, published in 2002, gives extensive coverage to fuel cells, and was unambiguous about their great potential in transport. The strategy has already led to the creation of the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership, and could lead to the establishment of a dedicated fuel cell “Centre of Automotive Excellence”, a key recommendation of the team that drafted it. Fuel cells were also highlighted as a key energy technology of the future in the government’s recently published Energy White Paper.

On another positive note in its 2002 budget the government introduced Enhanced Capital Allowances for investment in hydrogen fuelling infrastructure, and announced that hydrogen would be exempt from fuel duty to encourage its development as a road fuel.

The number of fuel cell and hydrogen groups and networks is also growing. 2002 saw the launch of the London Hydrogen Partnership, which brings together industry, academia, and local and national government to promote London as a centre for hydrogen and fuel cells.

These include a strong SOFC technology base, which is beginning to be commercialised, and extensive capabilities in fuel processing. It also has a number of world-class component developers in PEM fuel cells. These include Johnson Matthey.

In terms of demonstration projects, the UK is playing a pioneering role in the integration of fuel cells and hydrogen energy systems with other renewable energy systems. The USHER project at Cambridge University is combining photo-voltaic with a hydrogen electrolyzer which will supply hydrogen to a fuel cell bus.

Other success stories include Rolls-Royce’s fuel cell program, which has been a significant beneficiary of EU funding.

Three fuel cell buses are operating as part of the European Union backed CUTE project. The buses are beginning operation in January 2004.

In terms of funding, Italy is one of the largest spenders in Europe after Germany. The country has funded hydrogen and fuel cell activities with about Euro 13-16 million a year in the past. Now, there are plans to increase the support to around Euro 90 million over a period of three years, although we expect a lower amount is in fact likely to be available.

The two main government bodies involved in providing resources are the Ministry of the Environment and Ministry of Research and Universities. The funding is part of a much wider technology research funding plan, the so called National Research Plan which supports R&D efforts in various fields and gained most of its money from Italy's sale of mobile phone UMTS licences.

Italy also has three industry associations in the field of fuel cell and hydrogen technology. The Italian Hydrogen Forum is focusing mainly on hydrogen production from renewable sources and is trying to encourage and coordinate the promotion of hydrogen energy in Italy. Additionally, a new fuel cell organization was set up in June 2003 by the Federation of Scientific and Technical Associations (FAST). The Italian Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association(H2IT) concentrates on the coordination of the fuel cell and hydrogen activities in Italy and tries to stimulate the creation of an infrastructure for the use of hydrogen.

The third organization in promoting the technology is the Italian arm of Fuel Cell Europe FCEu which again has a similar aim to the two others.

Italy has a robust national fuel cell program coordinated by ENEA. The program has created a fully operational 1.3 MW fuel cell power plant in Milan. The plant runs on natural gas, which is processed on-site to create a hydrogen-rich gas for the fuel cells.

The size of the plant, the largest in Europe, was selected because it will provide useful experience for the future development of both larger and smaller facilities. The project is a result of collaboration between ENEA, the Municipal Energy Company of Milan (AEM) and Ansaldo Ricerche in Genoa.

Since 1994, the Italian fuel cell program has concentrated primarily on developing two types of fuel cells: molten carbonate and polymer exchange membrane fuel cells (MCFC and PEM, respectively). From 1990-1994, the Italian government invested $22 million in fuel cell R&D, the greatest portion of which was spent on phosphoric acid fuel cell (PAFC) technology to build the Milan power plant, though the PAFC program has declined since then.

The PEM program has involved close collaboration between government and industry since 1990. Italy has conducted unique research in ways to reduce the immobilized cost of the catalyzer, and to use hydrogen and methanol as fuels. The program for 2000- 2004 involve close cooperation between government, and the fuel cell, automobile and oil industries with the objective of developing a fuel cell vehicle by 2004. (The goal for 2005-2009 will be to commercialize this vehicle.) Several fuel options are considered, including traditional fuels as well as hydrogen and methanol. The budget request for 2000-2004 is approximately $108.5 million.

The MCFC program also has involved close industry collaboration. Under this program, The Italian government has developed MCFC stacks with capacities up to 100 kw. Italy has also increased the MCFC stack life and simplified the fabrication process. The main goal of the next five-year period will be to develop stacks with capacities up to 500 kw; the technology would be commercialized by 2008. The budget request for this work ranges from $5.4 to 24.4 million per year for the next five years.

Italian corporations have collaborated on and cost-shared much of this R&D. DeNora and Ansaldo have formed partnerships to work on several EU and Italian government projects. ENI has an alliance with Siemens to develop solid oxide fuel cells; ENI’s role focuses on developing internal gas reformers.

Nuvera Fuel Cells was formed in April 2000 from a merger between De Nora Fuel Cells and Epyx. De Nora Fuel Cells was at the forefront of fuel cell development in Italy for many years; working on bus and car concepts with international partners such as AirLiquide, CEA, Renault etc. Nuvera Fuel Cells is now part of the De Nora Group. Working on PEM fuel cells, the company manufactures stacks and fuel processors for residential and automotive applications (1kW-75kW+). Nuvera is designing and manufacturing 5 kW units that can provide primary and/or auxiliary backup power to residential homes. These units are being developed and tested for manufacturers of home power generators and backup power equipment.

Nuvera has recently unveiled two large stationary PEMFC concepts. Its DuAlto is a natural gas fuelled distributed generation system based on a PEMFC integrated with a small turbine. Output could range from 75-300kW. Field tests of prototypes are expected from 2005.

Its Forza range, which is due for commercial launch in 2006, is a product line of hydrogen power modules designed to make use of excess hydrogen generated at chlor-alkali or other chemical plants. Alternatively it could be used to generate electricity from hydrogen produced using renewable energy such as wind. Modules are being designed for power outputs from 160kW and can be scaled up to multi-megawatt size.

Ansaldo Fuel Cells (AFCo), part of the Finmeccanica Group, was formed in December 2001 to continue the fuel cell work carried on by Ansaldo Richerche for over 20 years. Now, AFCo is developing molten carbonate fuel cell power plants in the mid-size range (100kW to 30MW) for industrial production and commercialization. The new company will initially concentrate on the "Series 500" unit, designed as a market entry model with power up to 500kW.

A 100kW proof-of-concept MCFC plant has been built and successfully demonstrated and over Euro 30 million has been invested to date on MCFC development. It is now planning the construction of several demonstration units in the 100-500kW power range running off a variety of fuels. AFCo has also the exclusive license to distribute UTC Fuel Cells PC25 PAFC units in Europe.

Centro Richerce Fiat is an Engineering Centre providing R&D services to each of the different companies within the FIAT Group. In 2002, the research centre and Fiat Auto division developed the Seicento Elettra Fuel Cell Phase II. In 2003, Fiat introduced two new prototype small cars using fuel cells which were jointly developed with Nuvera. The Fiat 600 and the Fiat Panda are the third generation of prototype fuel cell vehicles Fiat has produced.

Irisbus, fully owned by Iveco, part of the FIAT Group, is developing and demonstrating fuel cell powered urban vehicles. Irisbus’ first vehicle was a CITYCLASS bus, launched in May 2001. Other partners in this project include Ansaldo, ENEA, Gruppo Sapio and 63kW PEM unit manufacturer UTC. The prototype bus is in service in Turin; the city of Milan has received a similar bus in 2003 as part of the CityCell bus project.

Iceland is the first country to commit to developing such a hydrogen economy, powered by geothermal and hydroelectric energy. Although Iceland may seem an unlikely setting for such an ambitious undertaking, the country has a number of features that make it an ideal candidate for such a project.


Iceland is situated in the North Atlantic Ocean and is the westernmost country in Europe. It is the second largest island in Europe after Britain, measuring 103,000 square kilometres in area, but home to a relatively small population of around 280,000 concentrated around the coast. Iceland lies on the Mid Atlantic Ridge, where the North American and Eurasian continental plates are slowly moving apart. As a result, Iceland has a high level of volcanic activity and is home to a higher concentration of hot springs and other high temperature seismic features than anywhere else on the planet.

During the 1950s the country began to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels by moving from oil based power plants to hydroelectric and geothermal energy production. At present, ninety per cent of the country’s buildings are heated with geothermal energy and hydro energy is used to produce electricity for buildings. In total around two thirds of the nation’s energy needs are produced from renewable sources. It is estimated that this uses only two per cent of the available geothermal energy and a quarter of the potential hydrothermal energy, meaning that there is a huge energy reservoir waiting to be exploited.

Despite this wealth of natural resources, Iceland still relies on imports of expensive fossil fuels for the remaining one third of its energy needs. Indeed, the country spends $150 million a year on oil, most of which is used to run its large transportation and fishing fleets. The fishing industry accounts for around 65 per cent of Iceland’s exports and the profitability of this business, and the wider economy, is intrinsically linked to the price of oil. If the oil price goes up, fish prices must inevitably rise and exports drop. If the country could reduce its reliance on oil then it would be in a far stronger position to compete in the international market.

Iceland has another compelling reason to want to reduce its consumption of fossil fuels: pollution. Carbon dioxide emissions from trucks and fishing boats, along with a burgeoning metals production industry, make this island nation one of the world’s largest per capita emitters of this greenhouse gas. For this reason, Iceland is one of the few industrialized countries to have not yet signed the Kyoto Protocol on climate change.

For these reasons, the country is firmly committed to moving away from fossil fuels altogether, and fuel cells have a pivotal role to play in this plan. The government has a vision that in the not too distant future all vehicles and industry on the island will be powered by fuel cells running on hydrogen generated from the electrolysis of water using surplus geothermal and hydroenergy. If this is achieved, Iceland would be the first country to move from a carbon based energy infrastructure to a hydrogen economy, and it hopes to accomplish this by 2030.

To realize this goal, a consortium entitled Icelandic New Energy was set up in 1999. The majority shareholder is an Icelandic holding company named Vistorka H.F. which is owned by a number of public and private enterprises and institutions with an active interest in the research, development and financing of new industrial projects in Iceland. These include the University of Iceland, the Reykjavik Municipal Bus Corporation, and the Technical Institute of Iceland. The remaining partners are DaimlerChrysler, Norsk Hydro and Shell Hydrogen.

One of the first practical ventures to be born from this collaboration is the ECTOS (Ecological City Transport System) project which will be run by Icelandic New Energy, supported by European Commission funding. The aim of ECTOS is to develop the infrastructure and expertise needed to manage a fuel cell powered transport network and run a demonstration bus service. During 2002, three Mercedes Benz fuel cell buses are expected to begin to run on an existing commercial route for the Reykjavik Municipal Bus Company. They will be refilled at a specially built Shell hydrogen filling station where the hydrogen will be generated on site by the electrolysis of water using renewable energy.

If this demonstration is successful then phase two of the project will be to convert the rest of the country’s bus fleet to run on fuel cells. This will then be followed by the introduction of fuel cells into private vehicles. The final goal would then be to convert all of Iceland’s fishing vessels to run on fuel cells and completely break the reliance on imports of fossil fuels.

This project is of course a huge undertaking and it is likely to take many years to realize even part of the very ambitious goal that Iceland has set itself. However, if the country does succeed, even partially, it will have positioned itself at the forefront of a potentially huge technological, environmental and economic breakthrough. As well as the many domestic advantages that will follow, Iceland could be poised to reap far more widespread rewards.

Even if all of Iceland’s 180,000 vehicles and 2,500 fishing vessels are converted to run on hydrogen, they will still consume less than 10 per cent of the country’s economically available renewable energy. This will leave a huge untapped resource that that could potentially be harnessed to generate hydrogen which could then be shipped around the world to other regions beginning to rely on the emerging hydrogen economy.

1 Introduction
Hydrogen (H2) as an energy carrier and fuel cells (FC) as highly efficient providers of electricity and heat promise to be core elements of future energy supply systems. Technology applications include transport fuels, propulsion systems and on-board electricity supplies for vehicles, home energy supply systems, alternatives or supplements to batteries in diverse use contexts, industrial combined heat and power (CHP) generation and electricity supply independent from the grid. Expected benefits include increased security of energy supply, substantial reduction of greenhouse gas and other emissions, achievement of more sustainable transport patterns, improved performance of home and industrial heat and electricity generation, greater operating times of electric appliances and prospects for constructing sophisticated energy-supply systems for remote locations.
A key advantage of hydrogen is its flexibility in terms of the energies it can be produced from, ranging from renewable energies such as wind and biomass to fossil energies, thus allowing hydrogen to overcome the limited availability of individual energy sources and exploiting those sources available at lowest economic and environmental cost in any particular context. Another crucial advantage of hydrogen that the wind and energy industries are only starting to realise and invest in, is the high energy density of hydrogen compared to other storage media for electricity, promising a solution to the problem of integrating increasing amounts of fluctuating energy into electricity systems. A major advantage of fuel cells is their high efficiency, compared to established energy converters such as internal combustion engines.

2 National Innovation Programme (NIP)
The German Federal government has long recognised the promise of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies, and thus supported relevant research and development activities since 1975. The support has been motivated by expectations of: environmental benefits such as reduced or zero emissions, increase of energy supply security due to the multitude of energy sources hydrogen can be produced from, and economic growth arising from innovation. During the first period of governmental technology support, lasting from 1975 to 2000, the focus was on hydrogen and R&D; the average financial support amounted to some Euro 6 million per year. The second period, between 2001 and 2006, placed greater emphasis on fuel cells and demonstration projects and benefitted from an additional and one-off funding scheme, boosting annual spending to about Euro 20 million.
In May 2006, the National Innovation Programme for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (Nationales Innovationsprogramm Wasserstoff- und Brennstoffzellentechnologie:NIP) was adopted in response to increasing environmental and energy resource problems. The NIP massively enhances available funds and puts a new emphasis on demonstration projects preparing for market introduction, reflecting the fact that H2 and FC technologies in Germany need support beyond R&D. Compared to the preceding policy schemes, the NIP takes a more strategic and long-term perspective, with implementation running from 2007 to 2016. The programme duration of 10 years offers greater security of planning to stakeholders than has previously been the case. A crucial difference is also the spirit of a strategic alliance that the NIP embodies. Central to establishing, funding and supervising are the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs (Bundesministerium für Verkehr, Bau und Stadtentwicklung: BMVBS) and the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Technologie: BMWi), closely liaising with other ministries and organisations discussed below.
Similarly important in the process of establishing the NIP and its formal structures was the advice of the industrial firms and research organisations constituting the Strategy Council Hydrogen and Fuel Cells (Strategierat Wasserstoffund Brennstoffzellen). With the creation of the National Organization Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (Nationale Organisation Wasserstoff und Brennstoffzellentechnologie: NOW) in February 2008, core functions of the Strategy Council were delegated to the Advisory Board (Beirat) of NOW. Here, the experts of the Council continue identifying areas technological development should address and proposing ways of doing so. By contributing 52% of the overall costs of any project within the NIP, private sector companies – or consortia of firms, research bodies and other organisations – take further responsibility for promoting hydrogen and fuel cell technologies.
Funding and political support for the NIP are provided by the following governmental organisations and schemes.
(i) Funding of the BMWi, in charge of applied R&D for hydrogen and fuel cell technologies as a part of the federal Energy Research Programme, accumulates to approximately Euro 200 million over 10 years.
(ii) The BMVBS funds demonstration projects with Euro 500 million freshly made available for market preparation.
(iii) The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung: BMBF) is responsible for basic research. Hydrogen and fuel cells are being addressed in specific programmes performed at large national research organisations.
(iv) The Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (Bundesministerium für Umwelt, Naturschutz und Reaktorsicherheit: BMU), which is
responsible for renewable energies, consults with the other ministries about strategic aspects of the NIP.
(v) Moreover, representatives of BMVBS, BMWi, BMBF and BMU constitute the Supervisory Board (Aufsichtsrat) of NOW, thus ensuring that NOW fulfils its tasks as envisaged
by its political superiors.
(vi) A final aspect strengthening the NIP will be a tighter interlocking between NIP and other programmes of the federal government, hoped for to produce synergy effects in areas such as materials research.
The combined public funding of Euro 700 million of the federal government will be matched by the same amount contributed by the industry and other beneficiaries of the NIP. Thus, the programme mobilises a total of Euro 1.4 billion for the period 2007–2016. About one-third of this sum is to finance targeted R&D, which is aimed at reducing costs and enhancing lifetime, as well as improving reliability, of relevant systems. About two-thirds of the total funds are to devoted to demonstration activities, testing technology under everyday conditions and preparing for market introduction. Moreover, the NIP tackles non-technical issues such as legal requirements, training and further education, as well as public acceptance.
The activities of the NIP are spelled out in theNationalDevelopment Plan (Nationaler Entwicklungsplan: NEP), which supplements the programme and details the agenda for future technology development. The NEP was drafted following extensive consultations between politics, science and the industry. It outlinesmain areas and specific issues thatR&Dand demonstration activities are to address. While R&D activities tend to be undertaken in individual and self-contained projects, demonstration activities are preferably bundled in Lighthouse Projects.
3 National Innovation Programme
3.1 Programme: General
Reflecting the structure of the NIP, the National Development Plan is geared towards four different application areas. Market preparation for hydrogen and fuel cell products is to concern the following sectors: (i) transport and hydrogen infrastructure, (ii) stationary applications: energy supply for homes, (iii) stationary applications: industrial combined heat and power generation, (iv) special markets.
TheNIP demonstration activities are bundled in the so-called Lighthouse Projects wherever appropriate. In such a project, different companies cooperate in a pre-competitive consortium, to jointly press ahead with technology development and market preparation for hydrogen and fuel cell products. The partners of a Lighthouse consortium establish a steering committee setting the strategic direction and overseeing the progression of activities. NOW, usually participates in the committees to ensure the tight integration of the Lighthouse Project in the NIP and that the aims of the latter are taken account of. A project office is normally in charge of the operational control of a Lighthouse. The core tasks of a project office are strategic project management and coordination of the joint activities of the parties involved. This approach is to ensure enhanced visibility for outsiders and improved internal coordination. Key concerns are: to achieve better performance in the areas of training and further education, legal requirements, communication, exchange of learning experiences and the use of common infrastructures. Under the umbrella of a Lighthouse Project, demonstration activities as such are carried out in self contained modules. The modules are financed by individual project grants individual partners bid for.
The Clean Energy Partnership (CEP) is an example for a Lighthouse Project in the realm of transport and infrastructure. CALLUX – a name incorporating the Latin words of heat and light – exemplifies Lighthouses in the area of home energy supply. Further Lighthouse Projects concerning industrial combined heat and power generation, for instance, are also in the pipeline.
3.2 Transport and Hydrogen Infrastructure
Fifty-four per cent of the total programme volume is earmarked for transport and hydrogen infrastructure. As shown in Figure 1, most money is allocated to fuel cell cars and associated components; a smaller proportion to H2-internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. H2 on-board storage also absorbs a large share of the budget, followed by H2 production and distribution. Fuel cells auxillary power units (APUs) and H2 safety come last.

About a third of the overall funding in this sector is allocated to hydrogen infrastructure. Close to two-third relate to H2 vehicles and on-board storage.
Three phases outlining the path of entry to the transportation market can be envisaged as shown in Table 1.

As Figure 2 suggests, hydrogen for the transport and other markets can be produced from many different sources.

Important is the generation of hydrogen from low-CO2 or CO2-free sources of energy, such as production by electrolysis
converting wind energy.
European motor manufacturers and energy suppliers agreed to concentrate their demonstration activities in Lighthouse Projects located on a few selected sites, so to maximize infrastructure usage and visibility, while minimising costs. H2 buses will form the backbone of demonstration activities at most sites. Passenger cars will add demand, boosting operation of different H2-filling stations as well. The vehicle fleets of part I of the CEP already completed will be enhanced within the new Lighthouse Project CEP II and be joined by a fleet of buses. The city of Hamburg will also become part of CEP, spurring medium-term plans for linking Berlin and Hamburg with a corridor of H2-filling stations. By focusing on but two locations within CEP II, fleet sizes big enough to allow for intense day-to-day testing can be built up in both cities. But also additional and potential future locations for the running of hydrogen-fuelled vehicles are being identified. Further test sites might become operational at a later stage and then add to the experiences made at earlier locations, also allowing for a wider exchange of newly gained knowledge.
3.3 Stationary Applications: Energy Supply for Homes
Twenty-four per cent of the total volume of the NIP is earmarked for home energy supply. Funding is mainly directed at micro-CHP systems in the power region 1–10 kWel based on Proton Exchange Membrane FC (PEMFC) and Solid Oxide FC (SOFC) technology. In 2008, 122 fuel cell residential CHP units are operating in Germany. In the CALLUX home energy Lighthouse Project, some 800 FC systems will be installed for demonstration purposes in up to five German regions. Here, producers of heating appliances, energy providers, research institutions, craft shops and technology users work together. About 60% of the funds of the home energy sector are reserved for stack development, 14% for gas generation and 20% for system development.
3.4 Stationary Applications: Industrial Units
Twelve per cent of the total programme volume is to aid market preparations for stationary and industrial fuel cell applications. Most money is to go to fuel cell systems in the power region between 100 and 500 kW servings inter alia as trigeneration plants (power, heat and cold), mainly based on high temperature fuel cell technology. Most important is the Molten Carbonate FC (MCFC) system, of which at present 14 units, 250 kW each, are installed in Germany and have reached lifetimes close to 30 000 hours.
Up to 60 high temperature fuel cell units are planned to be tested within in the framework of the NIP. Apart from the use of natural gas, the utilisation of synthetic gases (produced,
for example, from biomass, sewage and waste) offers benefits especially to local energy supply companies.
3.5 Special Markets
Ten per cent of the total programme volume is geared towards special markets. Applications in the area of special markets are manifold. The power output of fuel cells ranges from below one watt up to the tens of kilowatts. Next to hydrogen and depending on the specific application, energy carriers containing hydrocarbons, such as Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) or methanol, are used in fuel cells. This implies that a whole portfolio of different storage technologies and different structures of fuel distribution needs to be examined. Applications concern very diverse sectors, ranging from very smallscale units for the loadmanagement of battery systems, through the electricity supply for on-board electronics of vehicles such as mobile homes, to the propulsion systems of lightweight road vehicles or marine vessels. Based on individual projects Lighthouses will be developed, within which different and overarching issues of market preparation are jointly promoted by the partners.
The realm of special markets is characterised by the participation of very diverse actors, ranging from research organizations and start-up companies, via medium-size firms, to large corporations. Regional platforms run by the German federal states ensure the focusing and coordination of overarching topics, especially regarding the support of local small and medium size companies.
4 National Programme Organisation Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (NOW)
NOW is in charge of coordinating and steering the overall NIP. Hence, the structure of NOW mirrors the main emphases of the NIP. A core task of NOW is to coordinate the tight interlocking of research and development work with demonstration activities. NOW is also responsible for processing funding applications for the demonstration part of the NIP. Different departments of the Project Management Organisation Jülich (Projektträger Jülich: PTJ) are in charge of applications for R&D projects, and supporting NOW by resolving administrative matters regarding demonstration projects, respectively. Both NOW and PTJ supervise project activities within their respective areas of competence.
Proprietor of NOW is the federal government, represented by the BMVBS. The Supervisory Board of NOW is staffed by delegates of all ministries involved in the NIP. Indirectly, the holders of project grants contribute to the income that NOW requires. The spirit of a strategic alliance is also reflected in the structure of NOW. The Strategy Council, which was instrumental to the creation of NIP and NOW, today maintains its importance and largely channels its inputs through the Advisory Board to NOW. The board comprises 18 members from politics, science and industry and is responsible for defining the strategic direction of the NIP. An important task is thus to adapt and take further the National Development Plan to account for the progress the NIP achieves.
For NOW assessing project applications, the market potential of the technology concerned is of special importance. Commitment by private companies capable of bringing hydrogen and fuel cell products to the market after completion of successful field tests, to financially contribute to demonstration projects, is regarded as strong evidence for the presence of market potential.
Project evaluation by NOW is based on the following criteria:
● contribution to meeting the aims of the NIP,
● project tasks and chances of realisation (degree of novelty, taking account of the national and international state of science and technology, originality, etc.),
● work plan (planning of resource allocation, milestones, criteria for project abort, costs and timing),
● exploitation plan (prospects of scientific and economic success and connectivity to related technologies),
● eligibility for funding and appropriateness of costs,
● qualification and expertise of applicants, project partners and main suppliers,
● financial standing of applicant.
The substantial financial means available, the tight interaction between NOW and key stakeholders involved, as well as the clear market orientation of the NIP promise that substantial progress towards the market introduction of sustainable hydrogen and fuel-cell technology can be achieved within the duration of NIP.

Fuel cell and hydrogen funding in Switzerland started in 1986 with support for a methanol-air unit at the ETH Zürich. The two main bodies responsible for providing money today are the Federal Office for Education and Science (BBW) and the Federal Office of Energy (BfE); although other government offices, such as the Federal Office for Environment, Forest and Landscape and regional governments are supporting the efforts. Even though Switzerland is not part of the European Union (EU), some Swiss companies receive some funding as part of international research and development projects.

Switzerland does not have a special fuel cell and hydrogen research programme as such; most of the funding is provided as part of Switzerland SwissEnergy program, the federal government program responsible for energy and climate policy objectives. SwissEnergy is the follow-up to the Energy 2000 Program, which likewise had duration of 10 years, and will last until the end of 2010.

Most of the annual funding goes mainly to one of three organisations; the ETH Zürich, Paul Scherer Institute and Sulzer Hexis.

Switzerland has also a hydrogen association Hydropole, which tries to promote hydrogen as an energy carrier and supports projects in the area of production, storage and utilisation of hydrogen (The Hydrogen Energy Program). Hydropole is mainly funded by the BfE.

Switzerland has also been an early adopter of demonstrated fuel cells. First units included a Ballard PEM fuel cell (1992) and various ONSI Phosphoric Acid (PAFC) fuel cells.

DuPont is a major chemicals manufacturer and marketer. It manufactures Nafion membranes for use in PEM fuel cells. It is also developing other components such as membrane electrode assemblies and conductive plates. The DuPont Fuel Cell business has pilot facilities operational for the production of MEA’s for hydrogen, reformed hydrogen and direct methanol fuel cells. Although most of DuPont.s fuel cell business is taking place in the USA, the office in Switzerland works on H2, Reformate, DMFC MEAs and Conductive Plates.

The Electrochemistry Laboratory at the Paul Scherer Institute (PSI) is working on electrochemical energy storage and conversion and provides expertise in the fields of batteries, fuel cells, supercapacitors, electrolysis, electrocatalysis and electro-chemical material science. In the field of fuel cells, the laboratory concentrates on PEM and DMFC development for transport and portable applications. Together with Dynetek, the ETH Zürich and Volkswagen, the PSI presented a 28kW fuel cell powered VW Bora in 2002.

Sulzer Hexis develops, produces and distributes fuel cell systems for single-family homes. The company was founded in 1997 as a daughter company of the Sulzer Group. Sulzer Hexis has developed a 1kW SOFC residential unit, the .HXS100 Premiere.. The system is powered by natural gas; althouth Sulzer Hexis is also researching the possibilities of using other fuels.

The ETH Zürich (Federal Technical University Zürich) is, next to the PSI, the leading R&D organisation in Switzerland and home to four groups working in the fuel cell and hydrogen area. The main driver is the .Department of Materials, which focuses onthe development of SOFC and materials, especially on new electrolyte and anode material and thin ceramic films.

ESORO is a development contractor, focusing on the sectors of fibre-reinforced plastic, concept vehicles, product development and system integration. In 2001, the company presented the HyCar, a fully operable 6kW concept vehicle. Furthermore, ESERO has developed the HyStation, a demonstration service station with which the HyCar can be refuelled (CH2). The station was built with hydrogen supplier SL Gas.

Effcell is developing alkaline fuel cells for mobile applications, ranging from 2kW to 50kW in output. The company plans fuel cell vehicle application tests for 2004-5.

The IESE Institute at the EIVD (University of Engineering, Vaud) started working on fuel cells in 1998 by developing a small boat, the Hydroxy100 which was the first boat in Switzerland of this type powered by a 100W PEM fuel cell. The EIVD then decided to develop a second prototype, the Hydroxy300 with a 300W PEM fuel cell.

The EPF Lausanne hosts two main research groups which work on fuel cell related developments. The Laboratory for Photonics & Interfaces, Fuel Cell Research Group, part of the Faculty of Basic Science is conducting more basic research on SOFC material and high-temperature electrochemistry.

HTCeramix is a new start-up research and development company recently spun off from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPF-Lausanne), which is specialising in SOFC technology and oxygen membrane research. The company announced that they will start supplying SOFC fuel cell stacks to strategic partners in 2004.

Linde Kryotechnik, a subsidiary of the German Linde Group, was established in 1992 to combine the cryogenic activities of Linde and Sulzer. Later, PSI activities in this technology field were also integrated to the Linde group. The company is now working on hydrogen liquifiers.

The Dutch government strongly supports the transition towards a sustainable energy system. This is necessary because traditional policies need to be renewed to meet current unusual conditions.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs (EZ) stimulates energy savings and CO2 reduction through the introduction of hydrogen rich fuels, hydrogen and renewable sources (wind and solar).

The Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment (VROM) stimulates the reduction of NOx, SO2 and CO2 emissions, including promoting hydrogen as a solution to the environmental problem.

The Ministry of Education and Science (O&W) stimulates university research on energy related items and, in that framework, also hydrogen applications. Mainly, long-term objectives are studied such as hydrogen for fuel cells, hydrogen replacing natural gas and hydrogen as a storable energy for wind turbines and solar PV.

The New Energy Conversion Systems and Technologies (NECST) program, executed by the Netherlands Agency for Energy and the Environment (NOVEM), deals mainly with early technology innovations, with no restrictions to technology or energy carrier. The NECST program runs for many years and has looked at such issues as energy infrastructure development, in particular the implementation of hydrogen and renewable sources.

A large program is running on Energy from Waste and Biomass (EWAB). EWAB was initially focused on electricity and heat. As a consequence of the upcoming fuel cell development, interest is growing for separation of hydrogen from gasification products.

Presently hydrogen funding is estimated that about 2 million Euros per year is targeted towards hydrogen technologies. It is projected that within a few years this funding level will increase to 5-10 million Euro per year.

The Netherlands government has supported R&D for fuel cells since 1986. In 1990, the Dutch Fuel Cell Corporation (BCN BV) was established, through which ECN, Stork N.V., and the Royal Scheldegroep B.V. cooperate in developing and commercializing molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC).

Government funding for this fuel cell program has been quite substantial, but in recent years has been declining as this technology gets closer to the marketplace. Novem's current fuel cell program (1996-2000) ($ 3.5 million, 1998) is focused on stimulating through research, development and demonstrations the wider application of MCFC, solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC), and solid polymer fuel cell (SPFC).

Within this program, ECN is supporting the development of a second generation MCFC that incorporates direct internal reforming so that CH4 can be supplied directly to the fuel cell. Research is also focused on extending the lifespan of the MCFCs by developing alternative electrolytes.

The SOFC program is carried out collaboratively between the Technical University of Delft and European Union partners and is directed towards the development of ceramic components (membrane electrode assembles, MEA's), required to develop micro- and mini-cogeneration systems. Other SOFC research activities are focused on methanol fueled application in transport. ECN is developing a methanol-reformer for SPFC application in hybrid vehicles.

The ECN’s Fuels, Conversion and the Environment Unit concentrate its attention on developing efficient and environmentally acceptable gas conversion technologies (also coal conversion technologies). Applied catalysis (essential for, e.g., fuel processing for various types of fuel cells, natural gas combustors, coal gas cleaning, and off-gas cleaning) and advanced materials and ceramic technology (e.g., structural catalysts, ceramic membranes, absorbents for gas cleaning and ceramic burners) are main areas of attention. In the area of advanced gas technology, a micro-cogeneration unit (1 kW) is being developed on the basis of free piston Stirling technology combined with condensing boiler technology. The government is also sponsoring modeling activities to evaluate the technical, economic, and environmental aspects of conversion technologies such as coal and biomass integrated gasifier combined cycle systems; high temperature fuel gas cleanup systems; gas turbine combined cycles; natural gas fuelled CHP plants; coal and biomass-derived gas-fueled fuel cell systems (MCFC, SOFC); fuel cells for transportation (PMFC); CO2 removal; H2 production from fossil fuels; ceramic membrane applications; ceramic foam and catalytic burner applications; and pyrolysis of mixed plastics.

Plug PowerHolland

Description Plug PowerHolland is one of only a few companies in the world that are capable to adopt fuel cell components needed for the residential CHP-unit Tasks Development of Natural-GasReformer. Production and test of reformer systems Techincal support and optimization of the Natural-Gas Rerformer during field test.

Norway does not yet have any specific fuel cell or hydrogen programmes, or any published strategy in this area. However, it does have a strong strategic interest in any technologies that can help it reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, and for one overriding reason: its electricity production is nearly 100 percent hydropower, a higher percentage than anywhere else in the world. This means that in order to meet CO2 reduction targets as specified by the Kyoto Protocol it must pay more attention to cutting emissions from the transport sector than almost any other nation, and one of the best ways to do this is via hydrogen.

Given its huge natural gas resources Norway is particularly interested in hydrogen production from natural gas with CO2 sequestration. In terms of implementing a hydrogen infrastructure for the transport sector, it is still early days but in 2003 the Norwegian Transport and Communications Ministry set up a panel of experts to examine this issue.

Recommendations are expected very soon. It has been suggested that funding for a hydrogen infrastructure could be provided by the CO2 taxes that have existed in Norway since 1991, which stand at around €0.10 per liter for gasoline.

Some funds for hydrogen and fuel cell research have been available through various government programs, many of which are coordinated by the Research Council of Norway, which allocates approximately one third of Norway's public sector research investment. There are no direct subsidies for fuel cells at present, but electric cars are exempt from import taxes, an exemption that could be applied to fuel cell vehicles in the future.

Looking forwards, another potential source of funding is the Energy Fund managed by Enova, a public enterprise owned by the Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy. This plans to make as much as €600 million available over ten years to support energy efficiency and renewable energy deployment within the stationary power sector.

This could grow even more if the HyNor project takes off. This would transform the 580km highway from Oslo to Stavanger into a hydrogen highway, and could be implemented relatively soon.

Norway is also notable for its exploration of energy systems where hydrogen is generated using electricity from other renewable resources. A number of projects have been implemented, including a system at the Agder University College and there could be a market for such systems on Norway’s numerous islands, where similar projects also exist.

Industry sector

Norsk Hydro, the largest Norwegian manufacturing company, stands out among these. Norsk Hydro has long traditions in production of hydrogen for industrial fertilizers, and is a world leader in electrolysis of water. Since the early 1970s, this firm has also invested heavily in the oil and natural gas industry, and has strong strategic interests within fuel cells and related hydrogen technology. In the beginning of 2003, Norsk Hydro established a business unit,”Renewables and Hydrogen”, in order to focus its efforts on this business area. Norsk Hydro has been an active partner in several EUfunded projects on hydrogen distribution and has among other things established hydrogen fill station for buses in Reykjavik, Iceland.

Norske Shell is another large private actor in Norway. Although this company is a subsidiary of the multinational corporation Shell, it participates strongly to the Norwegian national innovation system and performs RD&D in Norway.

This company is investing strongly in energy systems based on SOFC (Solid Oxyde Fuel Cells), mainly for use on offshore oil & gas platforms.

Statkraft is another large actor in this field. Statkraft is the largest electricity utility company of Norway and is in the process of expanding into other markets in the Nordic countries and Germany. Statkraft has currently a portfolio of around 10 projects on fuel cells and related hydrogen technology; many of these are carried out in co-operation with other industrial partners. A large part of the technology development is outsourced to contract research organizations in Norway – of these the SINTEFGroup is significant.

Energy Development focuses on the identification, facilitating and financing of energy projects. It has taken part in the development of hydrogen technology since 1985. Over the years the company has initiated a number of hydrogen projects, including: hydrogen buses for the Greater Oslo Public Transportation Company; wind-hydrogen project at Røst, Norway; Hydropower-hydrogen study in India where the produced hydrogen is used in households for cooking. It has also worked with various types of fuel cells (AFC, SOFC, and PEMFC).

Main activities

• The Utsira project, under the leadership of Norsk Hydro, is a demonstration project that combines windmills with fuel cells for electricity power generation. Utsira is a sparsely populated, remote island approximately 15 km off the coast of western Norway, in the windy North Sea. The project consists of an energy system that utilizes energy from the windmill to produce hydrogen, which is fed into fuel cells for generation of electricity.

• The Kollsnes project: Statkraft, Norske Shell and Aker Kværner constituted a consortium to undertake a feasibility project in 2002-2003 in order to plan a demonstration plant at Kollsnes based on SOFC. Kollsnes, close to Bergen, has its name from the location of a gas terminal that is fed by a pipeline from the North Sea, from the Troll gas field. This project is an energy systems project, much like the Utsira described above, but its primary energy source is natural gas from the Troll field. The partners are currently deciding as to whether they should continue the project.

Network map of Norwegian research institutions in fuel cell research 1990-

2002 (N=421).

Sweden has a number of fuel cell programs, which are drawing from government and industrial funding to support basic and applied research. University research projects are typically funded 100 percent while industry/academia collaborations are typically funded 50 percent by government and 50 percent by corporations.

There is a great concentration on fuel cells as opposed to hydrogen. Support for fuel cell technology being coordinated by a number of organizations, including MISTRA (the Swedish foundation for strategic environmental research), Elforsk (which coordinates R&D for Swedish power companies) and the Swedish Energy Agency. Specific programs include: a basic stationary fuel cell research program (providing €1.6 million over three years, all from government coffers); and an applied research program on stationary fuel cells which aims to promote cooperation between trade and industry (€1.7 million over three years). Another program, “Energy Systems in Road Vehicles”, has a much bigger budget of €11.5 million, but this is supporting energy efficiency and the use of biofuels in the transport sector as well as fuel cells.
In Sweden, there are several companies interested in PEMFC but only one that can truly claim to be a manufacturer of PEMFC systems, Cellkraft.

Cellkraft is developing PEMFC technology in the power range 1-10 kW. It has developed PEMFC bipolar plate and stacks technology and is now developing a stand-alone power system. In addition, it has developed test equipment for fuel cells in co-operation with an unnamed partner, which can measure flows, humidity, pressure and temperature.

Goeta/Flexicle is developing a new generation SOFC that can be operated in the low to intermediate temperature range (300°C to 700°C). Founded in 2000 it is concentrating on materials, components and stack development.

The Swedish Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) is carrying out a range of fuel cell research within its department of Chemical Engineering and Technology.

Volvo, the truck and bus manufacturer has been exploring fuel cell technology for a number of years, principally through business unit Volvo Technology Corporation.

Chalmers University of Technology, Competence Center for Catalysis (KCK), is working on catalytic emission control for gasoline-powered cars, together with partners such as Akzo Nobel, Saab, Perstorp, the Swedish Space Agency and Volvo. Recently the centre has initiated a project where nanotechnology will be used to improve the design of fuel cell electrodes.

Scania manufactures trucks for heavy transport work, buses and coaches and industrial and marine engines for boats, electrical generators, earth-moving machines and harvesters. It is partly owned by Volvo (31%) and Volkswagen (34%). It presented its first fuel cell powered bus concept in 2001. This was developed in order to gain experience of fuel cell and hybrid electric power train technologies.

Denmark has perhaps the most developed fuel cell strategy and funding program of all the countries covered in this report, and currently provides around €5 million per year to support fuel cell research, five times the level of a few years ago. It has also, to a lesser degree, supported hydrogen, and a strategy is being developed in this field too.

A Strategy for the Development of Fuel Cell Technologies in Denmark was drafted in 2003 by the Danish Energy Authority, which oversees all national energy research and development projects, including demonstration. It produced this in conjunction with the electricity system operators Eltra and Elkraft System, which are a major source of funding for clean energy projects in Denmark, providing around US$16.5 million in grants per year, mostly secured through a legislated Public Service Obligation (PSO) scheme. Other sources of funding include the Danish Technical Research Council.

The strategy focuses resources on two fuel cell types, proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) and solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC), and on one application in particular, stationary power. Given the absence of major automotive companies in Denmark, less attention is given to fuel cells for transportation.

In Denmark small combined heat and power (CHP) plants, with outputs ranging from 1-500kWe, are expected to be the primary market for fuel cell technologies. There is a good platform for launching products in this area in Denmark as the natural gas grid is very extensive, and development is being geared with this in mind.

Aalborg University’s Institute of Energy Technology has been researching fuel cells for the past four years, mostly funded by industrial organizations APC Denmark, Danfoss and IRD Fuel Cells. It aims to become the leading Danish PEMFC research institution.

APC Denmark, the product of a merger between international group American Power Conversion (APC) and Danish company Silcon in 1999, is a world-leading manufacturer of small (300W to 1kW) UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) units for personal computers.

Danish Technical University (DTU) has carried out research on a number of different fuel cell types, including MCFC, SOFC and PAFC. It’s most important work, however, which is being undertaken by its chemistry department, relates to high temperature PEMFC technology based on temperature resistant polymer polybenzimidazole (PBI) which allows operating temperatures up to 200°C.

Danfoss is a worldwide leader in the design, manufacture and sale of engineered hydraulic and electronic systems and components, and lays claim to being Denmark’s largest industrial company. It has been involved in fuel cells for three years, partly through sister company Sauer-Danfoss, which takes charge of its mobile hydraulic activities.

Since 1988, INTA (the National Institute for Aerospace Technology in Spain) has been coordinating hydrogen energy activities through its own funds and subsidies from the regional government of Andalusia (south of Spain). At present, there is no specific program devoted to hydrogen energy in Spain; however, the Spanish Plan for Scientific Research, Technological Development and Innovation (2004-2007) contains strategic actions for "alternative fuels" and, specially, for the "development of technologies for a safe and competitive use of hydrogen."

Additionally, there are strategic actions focused on Amore efficient and less polluting energy systems and "alternative propulsion systems for the transportation sector" in which the development of fuel cell systems and components are considered.

The Spanish Plan for Scientific Research, Technological Development and Innovation (2004- 2007) is structured in sectorial areas and scientific-technological areas. Hydrogen activities are included in the sectorial area of Energy, which is supporting R&D projects, among others, in the following fields: More efficient and less polluting energy systems (renewable, fuel cells).

Alternative propulsion systems and new fuels for the transport sector (alternative fuels, electric propulsion).

In addition, within the scientific-technological areas focused on Material Science and Chemical Processes, the development of materials and products for fuel cells receive preferential attention.

Public Research Institutions:

INTA: National Institute for Aerospace Technology

CIEMAT: Centre for Energy, Environmental & Technological Research

CSIC: High Council for Scientific Research

ICP: Institute for Catalysis and Petrochemistry

ICV: Institute for Ceramics and Glass

ICTP: Institute for Polymers Science and Technology

CIDAUT: Centre for Automobile R&D

Universities: Alicante, Barcelona, Cantabria, La Laguna (Canary Islands), UPM

, UCM

National Projects

Solar Hydrogen and Fuel Cells at INTA:

Hydrogen production by photovoltaic-powered electrolysis and solar hydrogen utilization in phosphoric acid and proton exchange membrane fuel cells:

a) 7.5 kW Solar PV Field

d) PAFC: 10 kW, 90 V, 112 A

e) PEM Fuel Cells: 2.5 and 5 kW

Alkaline Electrolyzer

Compressed hydrogen gas storage

FAME - Fuel cell Application for Mobile Equipment: Alcatel (France), together with FISE and FDS in Germany, Nuvera and CNR in Italy and INTA in Spain, is developing the application of direct methanol fuel cells for mobile phones.

Budget: 2.6 million Euros

Duration: 2.5 years (2001-2003)

There has been a strong growth in funding for fuel cells in Finland, particularly since 2001, and the annual sums allocated to the technology now stand at €4 million. Around €2.5 million of this amount is allocated through TEKES, the Finnish National Technology Agency, which is divided between SOFC research and low temperature fuel cell research (PEMFC, AFC and DMFC). The SOFC (FINSOFC) program was established in 2002 and aims to nurture SOFC development in Finland in a number of key areas, including fuel processing and the construction and testing of demonstration units. The initial phase of the program is running for five years. Fuel cell funding is also available through the Finnish national distributed energy technology program (DENSY), which is investing €50 million in distributed generation over five years. An unspecified proportion of this is being allocated to fuel cells and hydrogen. Projects currently being supported include the development of a fuel cell battery by Hydrocell and SOFC development at Wärtsilä. Finland, meanwhile, has an interest in alkaline fuel cells (AFC).

Enfucell is developing and hopes to manufacture Direct Methanol Biocatalyst Fuel Cells (DMBFC) for low power portable electrical devices. Working with the Helsinki University of Technology, its work appears to be at an early stage, with few details available at present.

Helsinki University of Technology (HUT) is conducting a range of fuel cell related research. Its Advanced Energy Systems Laboratory began looking at fuel cells in the early 1990s .The current series of projects on fuel cell design and construction began in 1998. This is concentrating on low power (<100W) PEMFC technology for consumer electronics power sources, small backup systems and special applications.

Hydrocell produces small power units based on alkaline fuel cell technology, as well as metal hydride hydrogen storage canisters. It has demonstrated its fuel cells in a number of applications, including a boat and a small urban car, pictured left. It has mainly sold units in the power range 200W to 800W, but in 2004 it launches a new smaller product, the HC-100, which is being marketed as a portable charger or as a current source for any 12V application.

Labgas produces high purity gas generators, principally for use in laboratories. Its product line includes hydrogen generators. It is involved in Finnish national fuel cell programs, including a project to construct and install and test a 1kW PEMFC system with VTT in 2002.

Tekes (The Finnish National Technology Agency) has been working on fuel cell technology for twenty years, the last ten of which have been supported by government funding. Areas of focus include system integration and component development. It has carried out research on AFC, PEMFC, SOFC and biological fuel cells. It manages the Finnish national distributed energy technology program (DENSY), which is investing €50 million in distributed generation over five years, some of which is being allocated to fuel cell and hydrogen research and development.

VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland is a contract research organization involved in many international assignments. With its 3,000 employees, VTT provides a wide range of technology and applied research services for its clients, private companies, institutions and the public sector. It is researching PEMFC and SOFC technology, with around €2 million annual funding from the National Technology Agency of Finland (Tekes), industrial partners and internal sources. Its PEMFC research started in 1998 and relates to stack system, catalyst and bipolar plate development and cell and stack testing. A prototype stack and MEA is pictured right. The work has been realized in the form of a publicly funded project in cooperation with the Helsinki University of Technology and the University Abo Akademi. A 1 kW stack is under construction at present.

Wärtsilä is a major supplier of power systems for ships and decentralized power plants ranging in size from 1 to 300 MW. Since 2002 it has had a joint development program with Haldor Topsøe developing planar SOFC products with power outputs above 200 kW for distributed power generation and marine applications. Wärtsilä is applying its know-how in decentralized power plant applications and marine propulsion systems to the program, which plans to start field demonstrations in 2007-2010 leading to commercial production and sales from 2011 to 2020. Its role will include system packaging, marketing, distribution and service.

An Austin A40 car (1970) both developed by Austrian scientist Karl Kordesch. Kordesch developed the car privately, using a 6kW alkaline fuel cell (AFC) from Union Carbide and drove the vehicle for three years on public roads in the USA where he was working at the time.


Nevertheless, companies and research institutes received just over Euro 7 million from both the national government and as part of the European Framework program in 2003; figures for 2004 are expected to be on a similar level. Quite remarkably, around half of the funding comes from the EU, which highlights both the importance of Austrian organizations for European fuel cell and hydrogen research and also the dependence of the industry on European funding.

The main national funding organization is the Federal Ministry for Transport, Innovation

and Technology (BMVIT), which provides money for fuel cell and hydrogen research in its BZ-VIT (Fuel Cell. Networking /Internationality/Transfer) project which is part of the Austrian A3 program (Austrian Advanced Automotive Technology Program). Experts directing the government on the BZ-VIT are the companies CATT, OÖ Automobilcluster, Danube und Climt.

Another organization in this sector is the non-profit Austrian Energy Agency (EVA), an energy research and policy institution in which the federal and the provincial administration and some thirty institutions and corporations work on energy saving policies. EVA is the Austrian Member of the European Energy Network (EnR) and advises the government on fuel cell, hydrogen and other renewable energy technologies.

Most of the Austrian funding and research efforts focus very much on transport applications, such as small vehicles (10-20kW), hydrogen storage and auxiliary power units (APU); although, over the last 1-2 years some efforts have been made in the development of portable direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) units.

The Austrian fuel cell industry’s focus on transport and portable applications is represented in the relatively high number of DMFC organizations. The high proportion of

The strong areas of Austrian hydrogen and fuel cell activities are component development, demonstration projects concerning residential fuel cell systems (hence the high proportion in this sector, reflecting mostly utility involvement), R&D activities in hydrogen storage systems, component development for SOFC plates, and new start-ups in the portable sector.

Founded in 2002, ALPPS Fuel Cell develops small SOFC for auxiliary power units (APU), focusing on vehicle applications. Furthermore, the company experiments with various fuel possibilities for PEM and SOFC (e.g. diesel fuelled PEM). As part of the Austrian A3 project, Alpps is working on a study for the BMVIT.

Magna Steyr manufactures car components and is a leading supplier to the automotive industry. The company in co-corporation with the BMW Group has developed a cylindrical liquid-hydrogen tank system for BMW hydrogen internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. The future aim is to develop a free-form tank with the same capabilities and technical specifications.

Argentina has an increasing number of vehicles and, therefore, pollution. They do use clean alternatives for stationary power applications, with over 40% coming from hydro power, as well as nuclear. In Buenos Aires, electricity is very expensive. There are many communities without grid power. There is an opportunity for fuel cell technology for agricultural uses in the north and northwest regions, and especially in Patagonia (south) for wind hydrogen distributed power generation
Argentina's government has signed a fuel cell design, development and commercialization agreement, on behalf of state energy company Energia Argentina, SA (ENARSA), with the Argentine Army and Aeropuertos Argentina.
ENARSA evaluated the commercial viability of a one-watt fuel cell prototype developed by the Army over the two years, as well as develop a new five-watt battery and explore the development of larger batteries up to 50 watts.
Aeropuertos Argentina 2000 contributed $280,000 in funding to the project, while the Army owned intellectual rights to the effort and ENARSA had the option to sell the products commercially if the project proves successful.
A small Argentinean city has started building the country's first wind-powered hydrogen production facility, which was the first of its kind in Latin America.
The pioneering project, funded by the city government of Pico Truncado in the southern Patagonian province of Santa Cruz, will experiment with different ways of using the gas. It aims to provide a greener and cheaper alternative to oil.
One of its main tasks is to fuel public transport for the city's 15,000 inhabitants. As a first step, the city converted its diesel-powered municipal service vans to run on hydrogen fuel cells, at a cost of US$10,000 per vehicle. Instead of using internal combustion, fuel cells work by combining hydrogen with oxygen to create electricity.
The city was investing US$500,000 in building the plant and a hydrogen-dispensing gas station. The Canadian government has donated a 5 kW hydrolisator, which uses electricity to separate hydrogen and oxygen from water.
Despite the start-up costs, the city's mayor, Osvaldo Pérez, believes it will save money, as Argentina's economic problems have reduced the peso's value against the US dollar, pushing petrol prices ever higher. Cleaner than petroleum-based fuels, hydrogen also attracts a government payment of 0.01 pesos (about one third of a US cent) for every kW/h produced, thanks to a law promoting renewable energy sources.
Two 600 kW wind-powered generators provide Pico Truncado's hydrogen plant with the energy needed to separate hydrogen from water by electrolysis. As well as the plant and the gas station, Pico Truncado hosts a centre where the region's scientists will conduct research and development.
At present, the city generates 36 per cent of its electricity from wind power. The new plant will enable some of this electricity to be converted into hydrogen for use as fuel, and will also create useful by-products. "The oxygen generated by the electrolysis process will go to the local hospital and nearby factories, and the heat will be for our centre," says Estigarribia (secretary of public services and environment for the city of Pico Truncado).
The idea for the hydrogen plant was conceived in 2001 and agreed between the city government and the Argentinean Hydrogen Association - which is providing technical input - in January 2003. Building work started in April.
The project has already caught the attention of other cities nearby, such as Caleta Olivia. There are talks of building a bigger wind farm to harness Patagonia's 60 km/h winds that blow strongly almost all year long.
Patagonia has extraordinary potential for wind energy due to its strong and constant windy climate. With that power, the windmills of the hydrogen plant produce electricity that feeds an electrolyser.
Through electrolysis, water molecules are broken down into hydrogen and oxygen. The procedure permits the storage of hydrogen, already proven successful as a fuel for engines. The energy can be stored for use during windless days or for distribution within Argentina or sold abroad.
Capex, the company that generates electricity in Senilosa with a gas of its own reservoir, produce wind energy and hydrogen in facilities that was built in the province of Chubut.
The wind farm that was built in Comodoro Rivadavia have a power of 6.000 kW, and generate around 21,6 GWh/year, and provide the interconnected system through lines of 132 kW.
The hydrogen plant is placed in the same city and produce 850.000 cubic meters of this fuel and 425.000 of oxygen, each year.
The hydrogen plant was working on the first half of the year 2008, and the wind farm starts to work at the middle of 2009.

In Pakistan, many R&D projects related to hydrogen technology are started from 2000. The Government of Pakistan is spending a huge amount to stimulate the development of hydrogen technology since 2000 by funding research projects.
Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB) was setup in May 2003 to act as the central national body on the subject of Renewable Energy. The main objective of the Board is to facilitate, promote and encourage development of Renewable Energy in Pakistan with a mission to introduce Alternative/Renewable Energy at an accelerated rate.
AEDB desires to re-vitalize the transport sector of Pakistan. In this regard, efforts are underway to introduce methanol-hydrogen fuel cell buses in major cosmopolitan cities of Pakistan. It will not only be cost effective but also create a green environment. 1 kW Hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle is being developed by a project sponsored under Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP), the schematic of which is shown in Fig.1and its specification is presented in table 1. This development of Hydrogen Fuel Cells in transport sector is an economically viable, dependable and environment friendly alternative for the up-coming, healthy and bright future of Pakistan. The project was started in May’2006, the prototype was developed by December same year, it is the smallest period of time that any project of such a technical magnitude has been completed; it is now in the testing phase. One Proton Exchange Membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) of 1.2 KW capacity is used to drive a 4 KW dc motor through a battery bank.

Key players
NED University of Engineering & Technology
The N.E.D University of Engineering & Technology is one of the leading engineering universities of Pakistan. Its Mechanical Engineering Department carries out research in a wide range of areas including fuel cells. The department has a dedicated fuel cell laboratory.

Technological Supply & Services
This company is providing consultation and engineering services in the field of alternate fuels. Specially in compressed natural gas equipment like compressors, storage systems and dispensing equipment for the re-fuelling of vehicles to run on natural gas. It also provides vehicle conversion facility to their customers.

University of Engineering LAHORE
Department of Mechanical engineering awarded research on PEM Fuel Cell to a student of MS Engineering and a PhD Scholar

Pakistan Institute of Nuclear Science & Technology (PINSTECH)
Pakistan Institute of Nuclear Science & Technology (PINSTECH), is a premier Institute of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission, and has developed a new technology to fabricate the fuel cell indigenously, taking lead in the development of Fuel Cell Technology in Pakistan. Fuel cells are efficient and environment friendly power sources, which mostly operate on hydrogen gas that can be obtained from different sources including electrolysis of water by nuclear and other sources.
PINSTECH initiated an R&D programme on the subject as a result of which it has developed fuel cells indigenously. A low power fuel cell stack has been fabricated and tested successfully. It can be extended to produce power sources as per requirement, particularly for automobiles and off grid utilizations, etc.

Energy related organizations
- Romanian Energy Policy Association
- The Romanian Association for Energy Efficiency
- ALGEPEM Iasi (Local Agency for Efficient Management of Energy & Environment Problems)
- ENERO – Centre for Promotion of Clean and Efficient Energy in Romania
- The Romanian “Energy Cities” Network
- Institute for Studies and Power Engineering (ISPE)
- ASA Holding SA
- ISCE – Institute of Electric Power Studies & Consulting
- INCDIE ICPE-CA – National R&D Institute for Electrical Engineering
- ICPE – Research Institute for Electrical Engineering – New Energy Sources Laboratory
- ICSI Ramnicu Valcea - National R&D Institute for Cryogenics and Isotopic Technologies
- IPA SA – R&D Institute for Automation
- Intertermo Concept Ltd.

Research administration and institutions
- Ministry of Education and Research
- Entities involved in research area:
- Universities
- Institutes - Romania Academia
- Ministry of Education and Research
- Ministry of Commerce and Industry
- Ministry of Environment

Programs after year 2000:
- National Research & Development & Innovation Plan, coordinated by Ministry of Education and Research has 12 programs
Projects with topics referring hydrogen storage and fuel cells are developed in the following programs:
1) MENER Program–National R&D&I Program in the field of Environment, Energy and Resources by the raising of the economical competitiveness and of sustainable economical development
Subprogram: Renewable, New and Conventional Energies
2) MATNANTECH Program–National R&D&I Program in the field of New Materials, Micro and Nanotechnologies
Subprogram: Materials for process engineering, chemical and environment applications, with thematic target: Materials for storage, conversion and generation of energy
3) CERES Program–National R&D&I Program in the field of fundamental research of social, economical and cultural interest
4) Grants are funding projects for young researchers or researchers from Universities field. The aim of grants is the training.

The important projects in H2-FC field
1) “Ceramic electrodes used in SOFC for medium temperature” / 2001–2004–27,000 EURO
Main Objective: obtaining of ceramic materials for anode (cermets from Ni and ZrO2 stabilized with Y2O3 (Ni-YSZ)) and for cathode (La1-x(Sr, Ca)MnO3) where x=0,2–0,6.
Partners: INCDIE ICPE-CA, ICEMENERG, University of Bucharest

2) Selective Ceramic Membranes For Oxygen Used In Chemical Processes at High Temperatures”/2004–33,000 Euro
Main objective: processing and characterization of ceramic membranes for syn-gas obtaining
Partners: INCDIE ICPE-CA, ICEMENERG, University of Bucharest

3) “Ceramic Composite Materials for SOFC-IT”/2000– 47,000 Euro
Main objective: processing and characterization of oxide materials for medium temperature SOFC (7000C –8000C)
Partners: INCDIE ICPE-CA, ICEMENERG, University of Bucharest

National CERES Program
1) “Studies on the H2 storage methods in soft metallic alloys”/2004-2006–43,000 Euro
Main objective: the establishment of the laboratory method for obtaining the alloys on the base of Mg and of hydrides.
Partners: INCDTCI-ICSI Ramnicu Valcea, INCDIE ICPE-CA Bucharest, Pitesti University
2) “Hydrogen isotopes storage in metals and metallic compounds”/2001–69,444 Euro
Main objective: Study and characterization of the metals and metallic alloys used in hydrogen isotopes storage.

National MENER Program
1) “Design and characterization study of MEA for PEM fuel cells”/2004–30,000 Euro
Main objective: Synthesis and experimental characterization of membrane electrode ensemble for proton exchange membrane fuel cells.
Partners: INCDTCI-ICSI Ramnicu Valcea

2) “Geometrical and Thermodynamically optimization of a PEM fuel cells stack”/2004 – 91,667 Euro
Main objective: Design, modeling and experimental study of a H2/Air PEM fuel cell stack.
Partners: INCDTCI-ICSI Ramnicu Valcea, INCDIE ICPE-CA Bucharest

3) “Integrated system for power production using hydrogen and proton exchange membrane fuel cells”/2001 – 155,556 Euro
Main objective: The achievement of an integrated conversion energy system based on proton exchange membrane fuel cells.
Partners: INCDTCI-ICSI Ramnicu Valcea, INCDIE ICPE-CA, University of Pitesti, POLITEHNICA University of Cluj

4) “Energy conversion and storage technology using fuel cells for telecommunications”/ 2002 – 88,889 Euro
Main objective: Development of a coupled system, hydrogen storage unit-fuel cells used in stationary applications.
Partners:INCDTCI-ICSI Rm.Valcea, ITIM Cluj, INCDIE ICPE-CA Bucharest

The Romanian Paltform for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells
In November 2004, the Romanian Ministry of Education and Research promoted the Sectorial Plan of Research & Development which aims are the support of Romanian economy competitiveness and the preparing of integrating in the European research space and accessing EU.
The financial support, of 351,000 €, is provided by the Ministry of Education and Research–270,000 €, and by the partners themselves–81,000 €.

Hydrogen production via reforming
The main objectives are obtaining and characterization of some performance reforming catalysts; designing of a membrane reformer which is achieving the simultaneous generation and separation of hydrogen, permitting the hydrogen purification unit to be cancelled and lowering the reaction temperature.

Parallel to improvements around the world, researchers has been going on hydrogen academically since 70's in bio-hydrogen production, hydrogen usage (fuel cells, hydrogen using internal combustion engines) and hydrogen storage in Turkey. In recent years, with the efforts of T. N. Veziroglu and academic groups, companies are also getting interested in hydrogen energy.
The probable energy sources in Turkey to obtain hydrogen energy are hydropower, solar, wind and geothermal energy. Turkey has chemical hydrogen stocks along deep in Black Sea coast. There are technical studies to obtain hydrogen from H2S by use of reactors. Other technological development case is utilizing semiconductor particles photo-catalytic methods. Also there is a joint project with Bulgaria that uses solar and wind energy to gather hydrogen form Black Sea. On the other hand, hydrogen is thought to be the energy source of the 21st century. Hydrogen energy is made available as a result of research-based technological advancement almost non-existent in Turkey. Therefore, the hydrogen energy is not considered as an alternative in this study.
Boron compounds considered as the most promising candidates among the metal hydrates for the safely storage of hydrogen which is the bottleneck of the commercial use of hydrogen as fuel in fuel-cells.
The fuel called Sodium Borohydride is a white power that is dissolved in water. Since the fuel is over half water, it is not flammable. As the fuel is used, it is turned into ordinary borax, which is both non-toxic and environmentally harmless.
Important boron minerals of Turkey are tincal, colemanite and ulexite. Boron minerals contain different amount of B₂O₃ in their structures. The important factor for industrial application of boron minerals are B₂O₃ content, Boron minerals in Turkey have rich B₂O₃.
A commission formed by Electrical Power Resources Survey and Development Administration (EIE) and the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Dr. M. Hilmi Güler, attended a meeting, which was held under the name of "IEA Hydrogen Coordination Group-1st Meeting" in Paris on June of 2003. They represented Turkey and had a presentation on the developments that take place in Turkey about hydrogen transportation and fuel cell technology.
Hydrogen HLG Committee, representing Turkey, attended the conference named "Hydrogen Energy and Fuel Cells", which was organized by European Council Hydrogen Energy Executive Committee in Brussels on June of 2003. They had contributions to the final report of the conference, which was about the strategies that will be followed next 50 years about hydrogen energy in EU. These attempts show the interest of the new government to hydrogen energy and their will for international cooperation.

Key players
The International Centre for Hydrogen Energy Technologies (UNIDO-ICHET): Came into being on the 21st of October 2003 as the result of an agreement between UNIDO and the Turkish Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources. Under the terms of this agreement, UNIDO-ICHET will act as a conduit for knowledge and technology flow between the developed and developing nations by providing support, facilities and expertise concerning all aspects of energy conversion technologies involving hydrogen.

Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK): is the leading agency for management, funding and conduct of research in Turkey. It was established in 1963 with a mission to advance science and technology, conduct research and support Turkish researchers.

ITU (Istanbul Technical University): ITU Mechanical Engineering Department, Automotive Section conducted a project on hydrogen combustion using an internal combustion engine in 1993. The study consists of the utilization of hydrogen in a single cylinder spark ignition engine with minor modifications. Even though the had positive results, project couldn't continue because of lack of industrial requests and supports.

METU (Middle East Technical University): "Biohydrogen Produection Research Group" is working on hydrogen in METU since 1981. Group's current research program is focused mainly on hydrogen production by Rhodobactor sphaeroides, a photosynthetic bacterium of the purple nonsulfur family.

Halic University: Engineering Faculty of Halic University has research studies on "Solar-Hydrogen System" and "Biomass-Hydrogen System". This research group has activities all around Turkey to introduce solar energy and biomass energy.

BIMAS-Foster Wheeler (USA): BIMAS-Foster Wheeler has activities in Turkish refineries on hydrogen production. The company builds units for hydrogen production from naphtha cracking and natural gas with steam reforming method.

Hydrogen Applications Priorities in Greece
- Small Auxiliary Power Units in the 0.5-5 kW range and small fuel sells for residential applications in the 1-5 kW range,
- Medium-scale systems (10-200 kW) based on PEM fuel cells or SOFCs or internal combustion engines,
- Large scale systems (>200 kW) based on PEM fuel cells or SOFCs in combination with large RES units,
- Special vehicles (mini-buses, golf carts, boasts etc.) since there is Greek expertise on the field and the specific market segment has a good potential,
- Components development for the above mentioned applications, such as PEM fuel cell membranes, catalysts, electrodes etc.

Hydrogen Powers Greece's First Fuel Cell Submarine
In October 1998, the Greek government announced its decision to procure up to four Type 214 SSKs. Its eight Glavkos-class SSKs remain operational. In February 2000 the Skaramangas Shipyards signed an agreement with Ferrostaal Essen and HDW Kiel for the building of three Type 214 submarines, with an option for the construction of one more. Type 214s uses two Siemens PEM fuel cells which produce 120 kW per module and will give the submarine an underwater endurance of two weeks. The low noise propeller combine to decrease the submarine’s acoustic signature.
The HDW Class 214 submarine has a fuel cell-generated power supply, allowing it to operate entirely on hydrogen. The fuel cell, which produces electrical energy from oxygen and hydrogen, allows the new submarine to cruise under water for up to three weeks without resurfacing. Conventional diesel-electric submarines typically deplete their battery power after a few days cruising under water. In addition, the fuel cell makes no noise and produces no detectable exhaust heat, in turn making the submarine virtually undetectable.
Air Products, in partnership with Hellas Air Pro Ltd., recently supplied a new state of the art submarine of the Hellenic Navy with hydrogen. This is the first fueling of this kind in Greece and took place in Skaramanga, near Athens. Prior to this event, Air Products had supplied the integral components of the hydrogen fueling station to Howaldtswerke — Deutsche Werft GmbH (HDW), who owns the design of the submarine and who supplied the fueling station to Greece.

First steps in Hydrogen production from wind energy in Greece
CRES agreed in January 2002, to build a hydrogen-producing plant in Lavrio, southeastern Attica. The Lavrio site is host to a park of five wind turbines. Wind-generated electricity will run through water to produce hydrogen through electrolysis.
Undertaken by semi-private institute Centre for Renewable Energy Sources (CRES), the Lavrio hydrogen-producing plant is estimated at costing about 300,000 euros. Hydrogen produced in Lavrio would, if distributed, be sufficient to meet the needs of 15 households.
Hydrogen is stored in a metal hydride tank (50 Nm3 capacity) and is compressed in cylinders at 20 MPa pressure. The produced high purity (99.999%) Hydrogen will be fed to the existing Greek Hydrogen market that is non-energy related, as a way to investigate alternative commercial paths for wind park developers. The wind turbine used is grid connected.
A pre-feasibility study related to the introduction of a wind-hydrogen energy system in the island of Kythnos is briefly presented. Kythnos island in Greece has a peak power demand of approximately 2.5 MW and is electrified mainly by diesel generators sets. A wind turbine with a nominal power of 500 kW and a photovoltaic system of around 100 kW have also been installed on the island. The main problem related to the wind turbine operation is that it is currently connected and is shedding power to 500 kW of electrical resistances in order to ensure the stability of the autonomous electricity grid of Kythnos.

Fuel Cells Roadmap for MALAYSIA

2005-2010
- 1 kW PEM fuel cell prototype
- Set up Working Group For Standard
- Study on global fuel cell demand and market segment
- Commercialization of 500W-1KW portable PEMFC power unit
- Indigenous PEM fuel cell component technologies
- Prototype 5kW - PEM fuel cell system, PEM fuel cell powered bus air conditioning, motorcycle
- Availability of standards and policy
- Training for industry users
- Advanced PEM fuel cell component technologies
- Start dev of demo projects on vehicles (hybrid H2-Gasoline, FC Bus, PEMFC Car)
- Direct Methanol Microfuel Cell
- 2MW fuel cell stationary back up power
- 50 MW Distributed FC power generation
- Commercialization of 5KW bus air conditioning system and Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell motorcycle

2010-2020
- Availability of 50 fuel cell powered bus
- 10MW of SOFC & PAFC for centralised power and district cooling available
- Technology cost reduce by 30%
- Indigenous cost competitive PEM fuel cell components and system
- Demonstration of FC private cars
- Fuel cell powered vehicle: Public transport 100 units Motorcycle:90%

2020-2030
- Technology cost reduce by 50%
- Fuel cell powered vehicle: “Official” Vehicles:5%, passenger cars: 2%, motorcycle: 100%
- Distributed FC: power generation -150MW, 100MW capacity SOFC / PAFC power plant

Malaysia's Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Fadillah Yusof has urged Malaysian companies to work with local universities to commercialise fuel cell and hydrogen energy. He said this would support the government's goals of greater usage of renewable and alternative energy.
Speaking at a fuel cell seminar and exhibition organised by the Fuel Cell Institute of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), the Deputy Minister said UKM and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia have conducted successful research on fuel cells. "The success in developing this technology and commercialising it will help the government face changes and price fluctuations of fossil fuel often caused by supply and demand," he told reporters.
The Deputy Minister said the government, through the ministry and the Malaysian Industrial Development Authority (MIDA), was prepared to help local companies by giving start-up capital and tax rebates.
"The usage of new energy has the market in Japan and Europe. Local companies and the armed forces have also shown interest to use new energy," he said.
He said the direction of the fuel cell sector has been spelt out in the Ninth Malaysia Plan particularly with regard to research, expansion and commercialisation between 2006 and 2030.
Fadillah said the government gave a RM16 million (3 million GBP) grant to UKM under the Eighth Malaysia Plan to undertake six research and development projects on fuel cells and hydrogen.

Key players
- UNIVERSITI KEBANGSAN MALAYSIA Fabrication of Membrane Electrolyte Assembly and Bipolar PlatesHydrogen Production from Methanol, Hydrogen Production From Solar EnergyDesign and Fabrication of Fuel Cell Stack.
- UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MALAYSIA Fabrication Of New Polymer Electrolyte MembranesHydrogen Storage On Metal Hydrides Control System and Power Conditioner.

- Agni is a Malaysian energy technology company founded in 1988 to provide high efficiency low emission on-site systems. The company has offices in the USA, Europe, Singapore, Malaysia and India. This year the company reached two major milestones: one was in the stationary power generation and another one in the automotive field. Firstly, Agni launched its K-series units with PEM fuel cells. Following this development it received an order from a regional oil and gas company to build a 1MW Integrated Fuel Cell Engine power plant.