Brussels, 08/07/2005 (Agence Europe) - Commissioner Janez Potocnik inaugurated on Thursday new hydrogen and fuel cell testing facilities at the Commission's Institute for Energy in Petten, the Netherlands. The new facilities will allow political decision-makers and companies to provide an independent assessment of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies taking into account efficiency, security, environmental impact and reliability, through simulating lifetime operational conditions of fuel cells and hydrogen fuel tanks. The Dutch Minister for Education, Maria van der Hoeven, was also present at the opening. “We are all aware of the need to find clean, safe and affordable sources of energy, as energy demand rises, and Europe becomes ever more dependent on imported energy. The potential of hydrogen is very exciting and can provide one element of a future sustainable energy mix. By developing these new facilities, the Commission is showing its clear commitment to exploring this potential”, Commissioner Potocnik stressed on this occasion.
Scientists of the Institute for Energy are to simulate operational lifetime conditions on fuel cells under all foreseeable conditions from arctic to tropical and from motorway driving to forest tracks. Realistic simulation of fast filling (1,000 times at less than three minutes per filling) and slow emptying will be investigated. The Commission will also develop standardised testing procedures for harmonising testing procedures and methods for fuel cells in both transport and stationary applications. The Commission has helped to establish a Technology Platform for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells, bringing together industry, public authorities and the research community to devise an Action Plan, which outlines the concrete steps and measures required to move towards a hydrogen economy. The Institute for Energy, part of the European Commission's Joint Research Centre, provides scientific and technical support for the conception, development, implementation and monitoring of Community policies related to energy.