Generation, of the energy carrier HYDROGEN In context ... - needs

NyOrka Page 21 12/18/20084.1 Hydrogen roadmaps and policyThe 2003energy policy paper: European Energy Outlook and Transport – Trends to 2030states that fossil-fuel prices are foreseen to be static and therefore conventional fuel fortransport i.e. oil products are considered to keep their market share. Hydrogen is neithermentioned for use in stationary application, CHP nor as fuel for transport 17 . Some of theTrend paper’s assumptions, such as price for oil, became highly inaccurate only 3 yearsafter its publication.In 2002 the European Commission launched a policy outline regarding hydrogenspecifically for Europe 18 . Hydrogen is linked to hopes for a more energy-self reliantEurope and its policies to decrease carbon emissions and leverage the risk of climatechange by increasing the use of renewable local energy. Referring to Error! Referencesource not found. it becomes evident that the outlined idea is to derive hydrogen fromvarious sources, either energy carriers with carbon contents or from water throughelectrolysis. Carbon sequestration is discussed in the same context, if H 2 is madecentrally from fossil fuels such as gas.The EC supported HyWays 19 project (2005– 2007) suggest that the maximum penetrationtarget for hydrogen and fuel cell passenger cars in 2020 should be 3% of the totalpassenger car fleet. Car- manufacturers (for example GM in USA, Toyota in Japan,Daimler in Europe) state that the technological maturity for marketable FC vehicles willhave arrived by 2010 but others 20 aim to offer a different type of hydrogen drive trainusing high heat fuel cells by 2020. Still others manufacture vehicles for public transportthat burn hydrogen in internal combustion engines. These vehicles will have integratedbattery and hydrogen drive trains to raise efficiency, as will other types of vehicles usingdifferent energy carriers derived from renewable sources.In 2006 the European Commission issued a green paper listing a number of options forachieving sustainable competitive and secure energy supplies in the EU 21 assuming thathydrogen will be available on the market both as fuel for vehicles and as a buffer inelectric systems that are (partially) powered by renewable energy such as connectedwindfarms. By December 2006 scientists urged the European commission as well asgovernments and the UN to consider supportive measures to aid the introduction ofhydrogen worldwide and a developmental centre whose goal is to facilitate theintroduction of hydrogen in developing countries is in Turkey, a country that aims tobecome part of EU.The use of hydrogen in the transport sector will influence the speed of integration intostationary applications and technological spill-over will influence stationary applications.Current transportation of hydrogen in pipes as is already known from central Europe will17 European Commission Directorate-General for Energy and Transport, 2003: European energy and transport trends to2030. Prepared by National Technical University of Athens, E3Mlab18 EC 2003, High level group to the commission: Hydrogen and fuel cells a vision of our future19 A brief description of the project, its goals and tools is given at: www.hyways.de/project/description.html20 Volkswagen, nov 200621 EurActiv EU news, policy positions and EU Actors online; 9th of March www.euractiv.com/Article?tcmuri=tcm:29-153252-16&type=News