Subcribe
Hydrogen Vehicles
10 December, 2008
On December 4, 2008, UNU Panel Discussion and Book Launch "The Politics of Hydrogen" took place at the UN Headquarters. The discussion was based on the recently published UNU Press book "Making Choices about Hydrogen: Transport Issues for Developing Countries", edited by Lynn K. Mytelka and Grant Boyle.
After Dr. Coicaud's introduction on the work of the UNU New York Office, the floor was given to Dr. Lynn K. Mytelka, the Manager of the UNU Hydrogen Fuel Cell project and co-editor of the book. Dr. Mytelka started her presentation with a discussion of hydrogen fuel cells and the status of hydrogen in the economy. She assured the audience that hydrogen as a technology will have a broad impact on energy, transport and other sectors. Hydrogen Fuel Cells are part of a wave of new technologies that are knowledge-based and research intensive.
The main focus of the project was to look into hydrogen and consider its role for the future of transport and energy, especially with regard to the developing world. One main concern in the development of the hydrogen-based clean technologies is the environmental concerns surrounding the current production of hydrogen. Particularly in the context of recent energy price fluctuations, it has emerged that cleaner traditional carbon-based fuels are increasingly important.
The current models of hydrogen fuel cars are rather expensive. The cheapest model costs approximately $125.000. Price influences the commerciality of hydrogen fuel cells in the developed world - for example it is estimated that buses running with hydrogen technology will not be introduced in Amsterdam and other cities in Scandinavia until 2015.
Dr. Mytelka stressed the lack of the sustained funding for research on clean and renewable technologies. However, she predicted that by 2020 Hydrogen Fuel Cell vehicles will be commercially available.
The second speaker Dr. Boni Mehlomakulu, representative of the Group Executive of Research, Development and Innovation of the Department of Science and Technology from Government of South Africa, started the discussion with the topic of hydrogen and fuel cell technology strategy. She stressed the support of the Government of South Africa into the research on hydrogen technology . The favourable climatic conditions in Africa have emphasized the need to move to alternative energies: Africa has abundant sunshine for example, yet more than 90% of the population of Sub-Saharan Africa suffer from energy poverty. The introduction of Fuel Cell and Hybrid vehicles in South Africa is planned for the future. The government of South Africa participated in the development of the fuel cell car "Joule" as a part of the green transport program of 2005.
The discussion with audience members raised the issues of the role of commerce, industry and governments into the development of new sources of energy.
It was concluded that the wish to develop alternative sources of energy depends on the fluctuation of the prices on gas and oil.
◊◊◊
Page last modified 2009.11.02.
