Brussels, 06/10/2006 (Agence Europe) - Speaking to the press on Wednesday, a year after the signature of the European Charter for green hydrogen (see EUROPE 9026), Jo Leinen (PES, Germany), Philippe Busquin (PES, Belgium), Vittorio Prodi (ALDE, Italy) and Umberto Guidoni (GUE, Italy), along with American academic Jeremy Rifkin, called for a new European breath of life to be given to the hydrogen economy. “There aren't enough visionaries, hydrogen standard bearers, on the current political scene,” said Jo Leinen, for whom “the key technology for our future will come through the hydrogen economy”. Vittorio Prodi had previously pointed out that regional initiatives had been set up in the wake of the European hydrogen technology platform, created on the initiative of his brother, former Commission President Romano Prodi. Lamenting the fact that the United States and Japan award funding to the tune of €250 million to hydrogen research while EU investment varies between €100,000 and €150,000 per year, Mr Leinen stressed that hydrogen had to be given a major place in the EU's 7th R&D framework programme (FP7). “We have to make up this lost ground when we have the resources, the infrastructure, the technology and the people are ready for change,” he said. “The EU must adopt a long-term strategy with better funding and gathering of resources,” added Umberto Guidoni. Only a general will, he said, will be enough to increase this market where supply still outstrips demand. Mr Busquin noted with satisfaction that markets for hydrogen fuel cells were expected by 2010 for small electronic appliances, and vehicles with fuel cells would be on the car market from 2020. Jeremy Rifkin, a supporter of hydrogen from the start, said that the “third industrial revolution” could be of great benefit to the EU, which should “treat the hydrogen economy and the objectives of the Lisbon Strategy in a common framework”. Arguing against nuclear power and clean coal (through carbon capture and storage technology), Mr Rifkin stressed the benefits of an alternative energy which, unlike nuclear, is not centrally and hierarchically organised, but can be distributed through “small intelligent distribution networks”. (ym-eh)