That’s quite a budget: more than 20% of the total 2.3 billion that the EU will spend on non-nuclear energy research within the EU seventh Framework Programme for research and development. Particularly because Commissioner Potočnik of Research said about the technology: "Nobody at this very moment knows if the hydrogen economy in some years or decades will be a reality.” His colleague, vice-president Verheugen, thinks that hydrogen fuelled cars “will have no real impact on our emissions standards at least for the next 10-15 years.”

A thorough investigation into hydrogen, fuel cells and other related technologies is justified, by all means. Interesting question in this is: how will this investment be helping the sustainable energy supply of the future? You can make hydrogen now, by electrolysis with fossil fuelled power or with nuclear power. In that case the congested cities will benefit from the clean transport fuel hydrogen. But the problem will only be moved to the locations of the power plants that have to produce the power for the electrolysis.

Obviously, this way of looking at the hydrogen economy will be very interesting for the car industry and the fossil fuel trade and industry. Undoubtedly they will invest the money, because it’s money that will protect their vested interests. There is nothing wrong with that, it will give hydrogen developments a boost.

But of course real sustainable development will only be realised achieved if hydrogen will be produced with clean, renewable sources. And like Verheugen and Potočnik said during yesterday’s press conference, you can’t be too sure of that. New parties have to initiate thieses real sustainable development, but then they first have to deal with the vested interests.

Rolf de Vos

Editor in chief

GreenPrices

r.devos@greenprices.com