FP6 - 11744 HY-CO: Co-ordination Action to Establish a Hydrogen and Fuel Cell ERA-Net, Hydrogen Coalition

Contacts
Website: www.hy-co-era.net
Further Information



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Type of Project	Coordination action
Contract No	FP6 - 11744
Total Cost	2,700 KEuro
EC Contribution	2,700 KEuro
Start Date	28-4-2004
Duration	48 Months

Abstract

The aim of HY-CO is to establish an ERA-Net to cover the most important aspects of research, development and demonstration in the comprehensive fields of hydrogen and fuel cells (H2/FC) and to set the basis to establish mutual opening up of national funding programmes in hydrogen and fuel cells at EU level.

Hydrogen and fuel cells are considered an important long term technology contribution to a sustainable energy economy. The importance is based on scenarios of primary energy consumption growth for the period 2000-2030, concerns about diminishing reserves of conventional energy resources, and on the environmental impacts of CO2 emissions which are associated with fossil fuels. Worldwide, there are major efforts to advance H2/FC technology through R&D programmes, and to develop market and deployment strategies at the same time.

In order to overcome the fragmentation of European R&D programmes and activities in the area of hydrogen and fuel cells and in the context of a coherent strategy towards a sustainable hydrogen economy in the long term, a coalition of European partners, responsible for national and regional H2/FC programmes, will establish mutual exchange of information, analysis of existing programmes and activities, leading to joint programmatic activities.

HY-CO is closely linked to the European Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Technology Platform and will, in addition to providing an interface with the Member States Mirror Group, closely interact with the Advisory Council.

The partners of the HY-CO consortium are represented by senior policy makers and programme managers. The consortium consists of 21 participants from 16 countries and one region and is open to additional participants representing substantial national programmes or activities on hydrogen or fuel cells.

The main objectives are:

• offer a common platform for information and coordination of programmes and R&D activities at national and regional level;
• establish a common knowledge base for development of a European policy towards a hydrogen economy as the basis for a contribution to a future sustainable energy system;
• strengthen the European R&D and demonstration infrastructure on hydrogen and fuel cells through joint programming, management personnel exchange and targeted integration activities;
• promote and develop a strong and coherent RTD policy on hydrogen and fuel cells in Europe , and stimulate the " co-operation and co-ordination of national and regional research and innovation activities ". The vision behind it is to create an internal market in research and development;
• realise the implementation of durable co-operation with respect to European hydrogen and fuel cells activities. Harmonisation, timing and mutual opening of the programmes and the EC's Framework Programmes are the ultimate goals to aim for.

The final impact of the HY-CO project is to provide the basis and set up a durable ERA-NET for the promotion of hydrogen and fuel cell technology towards a hydrogen economy. HY-CO is aiming at the following targets to meet these objectives:

• Facilitating the European networking of research programmes carried out at national, regional or local level.
• Achieving a concerted European strategy for international co-operation.
• Linking the governmental and private sector activities on hydrogen and fuel cells.
• Providing an interface with the Member States Mirror Group of the European H2/FC Technology Platform (HFP) and interacting with the HFP Advisory Council.

These targets will be met by setting concrete goals and schedules, defining deliverables and sound management of HY-CO activities, leading to a durable and permanent European coordination and cooperation on hydrogen and fuel cell R&D.

Coordinator

Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Germany

Partners

• Ministerie van de Vlaamse Gemeenschap - Administratie Wetenschap en Innovatie, Belgium
• General Secretariat for Research and Technology, Ministry of Development, Greece
• Danish Energy Authority, Denmark
• The Research Council Of Norway, Norway
• Statensenergimyndighet (Swedish Energy Agency), Sweden
• Bundesministerium Für Verkehr Innovation Und Technologie, Austria
• Ministère de la Région Wallonne - D. G. des Technologies, de la Recherche et de l'Énergie, Belgium
• Fundaçao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia, Portugal
• Ministero Dell'Istruzione, dell'Universita' e della Ricerca, Italy
• Orkustofnun, Iceland
• Ceska energeticka agentura, Czech Republic
• Nordic Energy Research, Norway
• National Technology Agency, Finland
• SenterNovem, Netherlands
• Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia, Spain
• Forschungsförderungdfonds für die Gewerbliche Wirtschaft, Austria
• Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Arbeit, Germany
• Ministère de la Recherche et aux Nouvelles Technologies, France
• Commissariat à l'énergie atomique, France
• Ministry of Education, Science and Sport, Slovenia

Contacts

Contact

• Eberhard SEITZ / Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH GERMANY