Other Hydrogen Resources

Cooperative R&D Projects

International collaboration on fuel cells and hydrogen R&D has a long history. Two areas of note include activities related to international codes and standards development and harmonization and United Nations fuel cell demonstrations in developing countries.

Harmonization of International Standards

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is the world's largest developer of technical standards, with a network of the national standards institutes of 146 countries. ISO is a non-governmental organization that acts as a bridging organization in which a consensus can be reached on solutions that meet both the requirements of business and the broader needs of society, such as the needs of stakeholder groups like consumers and users.

The ISO Technical Committee ISO/TC 197 for hydrogen technologies was created in 1990. It has 15 participating countries, 15 observers and collaborates with 15 other ISO/IEC committees. Four standards have been published to date: Liquid hydrogen — Land vehicle fuelling system interface; Hydrogen fuel — Product specification; and Basic considerations for the safety of hydrogen. The Committee works closely with the United Nations' World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations.

The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is the leading global organization that prepares and publishes international standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies. These serve as a basis for national standardization and as references when drafting international tenders and contracts.

Promoting Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies in Developing Countries

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) are supporting a fuel cell bus initiative that plans to introduce up to 46 fuel cell buses in six cities in developing countries: Beijing, Cairo, Mexico City, New Delhi, Sao Paulo, and Shanghai. For more information on the initiative see the May 2004 Program Update (PDF 556 KB).

Public/Private Partnerships

A number of public/private partnerships are focused on real-world demonstration and market deployment of buses, cars, and fuelling stations throughout the world.

Germany

  • Clean Energy Partnership (CEP)
    A consortium of corporate partners formed to demonstrate the reliability of hydrogen in everyday motor vehicle operation. The CEP will test various methods of hydrogen production as well as develop the hydrogen technologies for vehicles to mass production capability

Iceland

  • INE-Icelandic New Energy
    A joint venture to promote the use of hydrogen as a fuel for transport and jointly owned by the Iceland Government and academic institutions (51%), Shell Hydrogen (16%), Daimler Chrysler (16%) and Norsk Hydro (16%).

Japan

  • Japan Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Project
    Led by Japan's Ministry of Economy Trade and Industry, over 20 automobile manufacturers and energy companies are partnering to provide hydrogen produced from a variety of resources for fuel cell vehicles in operation throughout Japan.
  • Partnership between the Fuel Cell Commercialization Conference of Japan (FCCJ), a voluntary industry group, and the Policy Study Group for Fuel Cell Commercialization, a government R&D group formed to meet the (We-NET) objectives, is working to accelerate the commercialization of fuel cell vehicles.

United States

  • FreedomCAR Partnership between the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Council for Automotive Research (USCAR) and members of the energy industry, is working to advance high-technology research needed to produce practical, affordable hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
  • California Fuel Cell Partnership is collaborative of auto manufacturers, energy companies, fuel cell technology companies, and government agencies committed to promoting fuel cell vehicle commercialization as a means of moving towards a sustainable energy future, increasing energy efficiency and reducing or eliminating criteria pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions.

Regional Collaborations

National hydrogen associations around the world are taking the initiative to develop and promote regional collaboration.

  • Partnership for Advancing the Transition to Hydrogen (PATH)
    Formed by the Canadian Hydrogen Association, the National Hydrogen Association of the United States, and the Hydrogen Energy Systems Society of Japan, PATH is working to establish national hydrogen associations and promote of hydrogen energy industries in the developing countries of Latin America and of the Pacific Rim Countries.
  • The Fuel Cell Bus Club Brings together the CUTE (Clean Urban Transport for Europe), ECTOS (Ecological City Transport System) and STEP (Sustainable Transport Energy Project) projects underway in Europe and Australia in the largest fuel cell bus demonstration in the world. Currently the Fuel Cell Bus Club is operating 33 Daimler Chrysler fuel cell buses with Ballard fuel cell systems in 10 major European cities and Perth, Australia.

Government Initiatives

Public/private partnerships are supported by an increasing number of regional and bilateral Government initiatives.

  • EU Research Framework Programs
    Provides funding for hydrogen and fuel cells R&D throughout the EU.
  • EU European Integrated Hydrogen Projects (EIHP 1 and 2)
    Supports regulations and harmonization of standards related to hydrogen energy and fuel cells.
  • Fuel Cell Annex to the US-EU Non-Nuclear Energy Cooperation Agreement
    This R&D Collaboration Program will focus on transportation demonstration programs, Auxiliary Power Units (APUs); codes and standards; fuel choice and critical material studies, Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC) and high temperature fuel cell hybrid systems; direct methanol and PEM fuel cells for stationary and transport applications and support studies.
  • Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum
    International climate change initiative that will focus on development of carbon capture and storage technologies as a means to accomplishing long-term stabilization of greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere. This initiative is designed to improve carbon capture and storage technologies through coordinated research and development with international partners and private industry.
  • International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor
    The mission of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) is to demonstrate the scientific and technological feasibility of fusion energy for peaceful purposes. To do this, ITER's participant members/countries will demonstrate moderate power multiplication, demonstrate essential fusion energy technologies in a system integrating the appropriate physics and technology, and test key elements required to use fusion as a practical energy source.
  • International Nuclear Energy Research Initiative
    I-NERI was established by the U.S. Department of Energy in fiscal year FY 2001 as a mechanism for coordinating international research and development (R&D) on next-generation nuclear energy systems known as Generation IV. I-NERI, the Generation IV Nuclear Energy Systems Initiative, the Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative (AFCI), and the President's Hydrogen Initiative, are key elements of the Federal effort to foster global cooperation in development of advanced nuclear energy technology.