hydrogen & fuel cell conference exhibition

We need some of that €1B in project funding!.....

http://www.climate-change-solutions.co.uk/event/upcoming-events/

10th International Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Conference Prospectus

This tenth conference at Birmingham on Hydrogen and Fuel Cells is most significant because the HORIZON 2020 programme for EU projects is emerging at this time. Therefore we believe that this meeting will be a major forum for discussing the topics in the call, for generating novel ideas for innovations, and for creating new consortia making bids. The partnering and brokerage session for companies and institutions in the afternoon will allow collaborations to be forged. Remember that the new 6 year programme funded by FCH-JU will focus mainly on demonstrations of Transport and Stationary fuel cells, together with cross-cutting areas. The planned budget will be more than 1billion euros over 6 years combining industry and EU funding. Partnerships in HORIZON 2020 can include China, and the first talk on 25th March will outline the possible avenues for cooperation with more than 30 organisations developing fuel cells in China.

The first session surveys international efforts on fuel cells, with a review of the potential in the HORIZON 2020 scheme. The question in all our minds, addressed by the second speaker, is whether this public funding support can push successful commercialisation from 2015 onwards, as predicted for automotive PEMFCs and stationary SOFCs. There are niche markets in certain countries, such as South Africa, as described by the third speaker, in particular due to the size of raw material resources. Large companies such as Johnson Matthey Fuel Cells are depending on their world-wide reach to provide fuel cell catalysts across the automotive sector. The final talk in this International session will analyse the progress in catalyst materials, in MEA improvement and in vehicle applications.

The second session after coffee focuses on European efforts, bringing together UK and EU projects on Hydrogen and Fuel Cells as 2015 approaches with the imminent prospect of launching truly commercial applications in automotive, building and portable sectors of the energy market. A new collaborative project linking the University of Birmingham and Korea is to be delivered by Nigel Sammes who has a remarkable track record in the UK, US, Korea and New Zealand.

Perhaps the most exciting product in terms of numbers shipped is the portable fuel cell phone charger. Intelligent Energy has recently launched a PEMFC product in this sector and this will be described by Dennis Hayter. But of course the main hydrogen and PEMFC opportunity lies in the automotive sector as exemplified by the £4.5m TSB funded ecoisland project on the Isle of Wight. Although this has suffered some disruption through 2013, the project is running on schedule to produce significant demonstration of the HFC technologies. Gavin Walker will give an update on progress.

The key priority is to consider the 2015 emergence of Fuel Cell Hydrogen Vehicles (FCHVs) from many global manufacturers (Nissan, Mazda, Honda to name a few). The way in which these fleets are rolled out will have a strong influence on the public perception of FCHV technology and on the future prospect for commercial success. On this theme, John Jostins will describe the large SWARM project which is geared to install three new hydrogen stations and provide 100 city vehicles in Birmingham, Brussels and Germany up to 2016. Then, immediately before lunch, there will be the launch of two new Midlands projects developing SOFC auxiliary power units in recreational vehicles and trucks. The fuel cell campervan from Autosleepers will be in the exhibition, together with numerous displays from product companies.

The afternoon session is focussing on stationary fuel cell installations in buildings because this is the second most important market in which larger numbers of FCH generators will be demonstrated by 2015, especially in domestic houses where distributed generation by local CHP units will be described. Running on natural gas has been the key objective, with power to heat ratios of up to 60% achieved in certain products, ideal for the low-heat housing of the future. This is led by industry groups which will show progress made by Viessman, Panasonic, Ecuity and Ceres Power in the first session after lunch. The second session then continues the emphasis on fuel cells in buildings and has presentations from CFCL, IECHP, Baxi and Ipower. The award for excellence in hydrogen and fuel cells follows at the reception.

In the evening Enterprise Europe Network I EEN ) are facilitating an international partnering workshop featuring an introduction from EEN , a presentation from the National Contact Point for Energy on the Horizon 2020 programme and several short presentations from international and UK participants on proposed research and innovation projects. This will be followed by group session around the various proposals.


Program Schedule

08:00 Registration & Networking

09:10 Session 1 International Activities

11:30 Session 2 Hydrogen Fuel Cells Projects in the EU and the UK Midlands

12:50 Launch : Dr Michaela Kendall - Adelan Ltd : Two New Midlands Projects

14:00 Session 3 Fuel Cells in the Home- How widespread could uptake be ? Where is progress being made to date ? Are Government incentives necessary ?

16:00 Session 4 Fuel Cells and the Electricity System - Localised Energy Generation and Storage ( Utilising Fuel Cells in the home and other locations )

17:30 Midlands Awards For Excellence - Drinks Reception

18:00 EEN - Horizon 2020 International Partnering Workshop




Cheers
SynQuasi