As 2018 marks the ten-year anniversary of the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU), it is inspiring to look back over the many accomplishments of the past decade and see the enormous progress that fuel cell and hydrogen technology has made.
The EU funded COPERNIC project, supported by the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU), succeeded in improving the quality of materials and design of hydrogen storage tanks for cars. It also made the manufacturing of these tanks more cost efficient, helping to make hydrogen cars a more viable and competitive option.
The end result of the project was that the cost of a hydrogen fuel tank was reduced, thanks to improved materials and better manufacturing... Read more
Scotland’s Orkney Islands have one of Europe’s highest levels of renewable energy use, with over 1 000 wind, wave and tidal energy installations serving 10 000 households. Nonetheless, additional renewable generation is limited by the capacity of the electricity network.
More electricity is generated from renewable sources in Orkney than the population can use and the surplus is usually transferred to the UK’s national grid network. However, it often happens... Read more
Fuel cell systems are an efficient way of converting chemical energy into electricity so as to reduce emissions and protect the environment. EU-funded research has advanced existing components and designs to develop an optimised version - boosting product lifetime and efficiency, and potential commercial uptake of a sustainable energy solution.
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is vital for our planet’s future. Fuel cell technology has considerable potential in this... Read more
Why buy electricity from the grid when you can produce it affordably yourself - and heat your home at the same time? And reduce your environmental footprint? And possibly even save money? Why indeed. Residential fuel cell units, supported by FCH JU, could deliver these benefits to millions of homes in the EU, and preparations to ramp up their production are under way.
A few definitions, to start with, although you may already be aware that ‘FC mCHP’ stands for ‘fuel... Read more
A major FCH JU funded project has installed hydrogen filling stations, tested prototype fuel cell vehicles and brought together car makers and infrastructure providers to push forward the commercial viability of this zero-emissions technology.
Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, which manufacturers aim to make commercially available from 2018, offer zero-emissions transport and function much like an electric vehicle. Instead of... Read more
Great news for the fuel cell industry: Germany has launched a ~€60-million, three-year consortium of leading industrial companies to investigate high-volume production of automotive fuel cell stacks. As this recent national initiative builds on the successful outcome of FCH JU research projects, the FCH JU is thrilled to see its support leading to the next step towards mass fuel cell manufacturing in Germany.
The consortium... Read more
Trials in cities around the world have demonstrated that fuel-cell passenger buses can cut emissions and noise pollution while providing good quality public transport. New EU-funded projects could double Europe's fleet of hydrogen buses - reducing vehicle and infrastructure costs per bus to boost take-up of the technology.
Fuel-cell buses are an attractive solution for public transport – they can travel long, cost-effective shifts... Read more
Hydrogen has the highest mass energy density of any fuel, making it an extremely effective medium for energy storage and distribution. As Europe deploys more renewable capacity, from vast wind farms to roof-top solar arrays, hydrogen is set to be an essential integrator, harnessing excess power generation, balancing intermittent supply and demand, and ultimately helping support a clean, efficient and sustainable energy system.
... Read more
A clean revolution is quietly taking place on Europe’s roads. Hydrogen fuel cells are powering fleets of public buses and refueling stations are being deployed. Building on the results of several pilot projects, uptake of the technology is accelerating rapidly, putting hydrogen fuel cells in a position to underpin zero-emissions transport Europe-wide.
There has been an enormous leap forward recently in terms of the technology,... Read more