Future Fuel: Hydrogen producing
The EU has identified hydrogen as one of six key strategic areas that require significant actions and investments. But despite its enormous potential, building infrastructure for a hydrogen-based economy remains a challenge. The Joint Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Pledge is a collaboration between the European Commission and industrial and research institutions whose goal is to accelerate the introduction of hydrogen technology to the market and achieve a carbon-neutral energy system. Paul Hackett from Business Planet told Bart Biboyk, Executive Director of Fuel Cells and Joint Hydrogen Pledges: By 2030, I’m sure we will be in another world, and hydrogen will be a big part of that.
Business Planet: What exactly is the joint business between fuel cells and hydrogen? And how do you help lead the hydrogen revolution? Bart Biboyk: Well, the joint pledge of fuel cells and hydrogen is a public-private partnership that works alongside industry, research, and academia, as well as with the European Commission, regarding the Directorate of Energy Transmission and Research. We manage 263 projects so far, for €2 billion, and now we look to the future where we really need to expand. To do this, we will mainly focus on manufacturing techniques, however, we also need to consider strenuous tasks, so we must look, for example, at trucks, trains, and planes. It’s a very new area and we know hydrogen has potential, so we need to explore that.
Business Planet: Fuel Cells, Hydrogen Technology. Is this the path to cleaner air in our cities?
Bart Biboyk: Sure, because this technology first and foremost does not emit any emissions, only water comes out. Thus, as I have already explained, this technology can be used in transportation, and it also helps to warm your home. Today, industries make use of a lot of hydrogen, which unfortunately still comes from fossil fuels like gas, but we are working to make hydrogen greener in the future. Due to the innovations that we have made in electrolytes, like having 31 projects funded by more or less than 114 million euros, we have worked to reduce the cost significantly, and at the same time we have increased the capacity from kilowatts to megawatts scale, so very soon, we will be able to produce green hydrogen at the same cost as fossil fuel.
Bart Bibwick: Over the last 12 years, we’ve developed this technology, and now we’re able to prove that this technology works on the ground. And five years later, we’ll see more of these projects and presentations. We believe that mass production will start from 2025 onwards. At the same time, we will have to start building our infrastructure for large hydrogen distribution, and we can also use natural gas pipelines to transport hydrogen. By 2030, I am sure we will be living in a different world, and hydrogen will be a key component.
