EUROPE The European Commission (EC) and industry bodies are to invest more than €22bn over the next seven years in innovation for various industry sectors.
For the area of the scheme involving transport, the EC has proposed to renew and strengthen the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen (FCH) Joint Undertaking. The FCH 2 Joint Undertaking creates the basis for a renewed public-private partnership aimed at expanding the use of clean and efficient technologies. It aims move the sector forward with a budget of €1.4bn until 2020, equally shared by the European private sector and EU.
Màire Geoghegan-Quinn, European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science, said: “Thanks to the current FCH partnership, there are hydrogenpowered, pollution-free buses in five cities across Europe. However, much research and development is needed to make FCH technology widespread and for clean energy production and storage to become commercially attractive.”
Visit the FCH website at www.fch-ju.eu
