WRITTEN QUESTION E-1422/01

by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission

(17 May 2001)

Subject: Hydrogen a new energy source

Hydrogen is increasingly replacing petroleum as an energy source. In some European cities the authorities are starting to set up facilities to allow hydrogen to be used for public transport and, in some cases, for private vehicles. Hydrogen produced from methane could constitute the transition from the age of petrol to that of completely clean hydrogen. Laboratories and research centres all over the world are already studying new technologies for producing this new fuel. It is generally thought that the European institutions have been more concerned with carrying out research into the impact on health of gases produced by petrol (i.e. the health costs of pollution) and have done little to encourage research into or exploitation of this new energy source.

Is the Commission acquainted with the results of research into the use of hydrogen in the field of transport?

Does it intend to take any steps to promote the production and distribution of hydrogen for use in transport?

Does it not consider it appropriate to promote a policy to encourage the use of this new technology, not least in order to release Europe from its slavish dependence on oil, thereby helping to reduce the risks of atmospheric pollution and safeguarding public health?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(16 July 2001)

For many years the Commission has acknowledged the potential for switching from energy produced from fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas) to hydrogen for transport and for heat and power production. Hydrogen, especially when produced from renewable or nuclear energy sources, could at one and the same time address problems of air quality, greenhouse gas emissions, energy supply security, oil dependence and noise pollution.

Consequently, ever since the First Community framework programme for Research and Technological Development (RTD), a significant number of projects have dealt with producing and storing hydrogen or developing fuel cells (to convert hydrogen into electricity). The Non-Nuclear Energy Programme under the Fifth Community framework programme for Research and Technological Development (1999-2002) dedicated a significant proportion of its funding to research and demonstration projects relating to hydrogen technology particularly in association with fuel cells. To date, the Commission's financial support under the Fifth RTD framework programme amounts to more than 85 million, the bulk of which has been granted to projects for fuels cells, hydrogen production and storage, hydrogen-powered vehicles and other major heat and power production projects. The Commission is currently negotiating a contract with 10 European cities to introduce hydrogen as an alternative fuel for public transport(1). Thirty fuel cell buses will run on hydrogen generated locally from a variety of sources, with half supplied from renewable energy and green electricity. This is no doubt the project involving European cities to which the Honourable Member's question refers.

With the goal of better integrating and structuring the European Research Area, the new research policy plans to focus on priority areas. Accordingly, the Commission's recent proposal for a new RTD framework programme(2) deals specifically with fuels cells and hydrogen technology.

Following the publication of the Green Paper on the security of energy supply(3), the debate on the selection of alternative fuels, including hydrogen, has also now been initiated. In addition, the Commission is currently drawing up a communication on alternative fuels and vehicles in which hydrogen will have a prime role.

(1) The cities taking part in the CUTE (Clean Urban Transport in Europe) and ECTOS projects are: Amsterdam, Barcelona, Hamburg, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, Porto, Reykjavik, Stockholm and Stuttgart.

(2) COM(2001) 94 final.

(3) COM(2000) 769 final.