By Martin Banks - 15th March 2011
A senior commission official has admitted the EU faces "huge obstacles" in its efforts to create a low-carbon economy.
Addressing a parliamentary hearing on Tuesday, Jean-Marie Bemtgen said a "massive" amount of research was still required before hydrogen could be seen as a viable alternative to fossil fuels.
The hearing, "Powering Europe's future energy and mobility," was organised by the ALDE group.
The one-day event was aimed at looking at how hydrogen technologies can offer possible solutions to the ongoing debate over Europe's future energy mix.
It focused on the development of hydrogen-related electro-mobility in Europe and the support the EU can provide to facilitate public and private initiatives in this field and on innovative solutions in green transport.
Bemtgen, a senior policy officer in the commission's energy directorate, said it was timely as it comes against the backdrop of rising energy prices.
He said, "Hydrogen energy does have a future and a lot of hopes and ambitions have been invested in the technology.
"But we have to remember that, sometimes, technology, has its limitations, and there still needs to be a huge amount of research into hydrogen."
Bemtgen, a keynote speaker at the event, also warned that Europe had work to do in order to regain its "leadership role" in hydrogen technology.
"The objective should be to ensure that we can compete with very dynamic countries like Japan, China and Korea," he said.
While warning that the challenge was "enormous", he said the commission would "do all it can" to help achieve this objective.
"Hydrogen, as an energy storer and carrier can be very useful and, at an EU level, this will remain high on the agenda."
He said he hoped the importance the EU attaches to the role of hydrogen in the energy mix would be reflected in the commission's upcoming eighth framework programme.
But Bemtgen, speaking in a session on EU energy infrastructure priorities, cautioned against over-optimism, saying, "If we want large quantities of hydrogen it will have to come from 'green' electricity, such as offshore wind farms. Otherwise, it will not make sense."
He added, "The message I want to convey is that if, as it professes, the EU wants a decarbonised society by 2050, it cannot continue with the speed of today's technology.
"2050 may seem like a long way off to politicians but, in terms of technology, it is a very short period of time.
"If the EU wants hydrogen technology to be ready for the mass market before 2050 it must accelerate research and development into this now."
Further comment came from Andreas Ziolek, of HyRaMP, the European fuel cell and hydrogen regions and municipalities partnership, who said, "Hydrogen, as an energy carrier, is widely seen as an important component of a new global energy system.
"It can substitute the current fossil-fuel based infrastructure with a sustainable, secure and competitive alternative."
Ian Williamson, who chairs the European hydrogen association, said that Europe was "not prepared" for the "energy crisis" it faces.
"New energy storage capacity will be required and our future energy system will be structurally different from today."
