On 2. Dezember the European Hydrogen Association (EHA) will be founded at Brussels. It will represent the field towards international institutions, in particular those of the European Union, and also in countries without a national association. Founder members will be the five existing European associations (from Norway, Germany, Italy, Sweden and France) as well as experts and companies from other countries.

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Iceland will introduce the first hydrogen economy of the world, and it will convert the whole transportation of the country to hydrogen fuel on the basis of renewable energies. This was heard on 20. October in Berlin on occasion of the opening of the new icelandic embassy by president Grímsson. The plans include fuel cell buses running on hydrogen in Reykjavik, fuel cell cars for individual traffic and the use of fuel cells for fishing boats. Apart from technical matters economy and acceptance will also be investigated as part of the Reykjavik bus project. On the basis of the results the icelandic side will decide whether or not and how fast the fleet of 180 buses in Reykjavik will be converted. (See our press release No. 6/99 of 21. October 1999 )

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During the IAA in Frankfurt BMW presented exhibits about hydrogen, in particular renewable hydrogen, in a much-bigger-than-life drop as well as a hydrogen filling station like in Munich (see No. 3/99 "Munich").

DaimlerChrysler showed an experimental car in which a fuel cell replaces the conventional battery (cmp. No. 3/99 "BMW"). The cell can supply electrical consumers even when the engine is not running, even a 220 V outlet for external devices. Hydrogen is supplied by a metal hydride storage. The output is 18 kWh at a maximum of 3,2 kW. The mass related energy density is twice that of a lead battery.

During the Tokyo Motor Show which started on 22. October, Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Mazda presented new prototypes. Toyota experiments with a methanol and a hydrogen prototype in parallel and will enhance its cooperation with General Motors. Both Honda and Toyota will enter the market in 2003. Mitsubishi as last major car maker has finally presented a concept study of a fuel cell car which will be marketed in 2005.

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Volkswagen and Honda join the "California Fuel Cell Partnership" which is to introduce hydrogen and fuel cell vehicles in the market (see No. 2/99 "No small stuff, please"). Together with the founder members DaimlerChrysler and Ford there are now four car manufacturers represented. Alan Lloyd, chairman of the California Air Resources Board, said that the participation of an Asiatic partner is particularly valuable. (Business Wire, 5. October 1999)

About 25 buses from various manufactuerers will be operated by different transport companies as part of the project. The prototype of the engine was presented on 11. October by dbb fuel cell engines. It is an improved version of the engine which served for gathering experience during operation in Chicago and Vancouver. The new generation is 2 t lighter, easier to maintain by reduction and simplification of components, and also more economical. Marketing will begin in 2002. (Ballard press release of 11. October 1999)

Honda has given Ballard an order over 2,6 M$ for the supply of fuel cells, equipment, and other support. (Business Wire, 8. October 1999; we use also for money the usual prefixes k (1000), M (million), G (billiarde) etc.)

Shell will install a hydrogen filling station prototype in Kalifornien until 2001. Commercial stations will exist in 2004. The company's objective is to set up a hydrogen infrastructure for fuel cell cars in California during the next 20 years.

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A fuel cell bus is operating in the Bavarian spa Oberstdorf since 14. October. It shuttles tourists to the city center and to a popular funicular railway (Nebelhornbahn). The Neoplan bus with 40 seats has a de Nora PEM cell. The latter is supplied with hydrogen from a pressure vessel and has an output of 15 W for the electric motors and for charging a NiMH battery.

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Byron McCormick, Codirektor of the Global Alternative Propulsion Center in Rüsselsheim, described on 29. September the path of General Motors to hydrogen like this: "First, we need fuel cell systems that will work in vehicles in the near-term, and that means processor-based fuel cell systems running on a readily-available fuel that is familiar to the customer, like gasoline. Second, as the technology and innovations continue, we'll need safe and reliable on-board vehicle hydrogen storage systems. Finally, we'll need a distribution system that delivers hydrogen to locations convenient for the customer. ... Ultimately, this is a marathon, not a sprint."

Great progress is said to have been made concerning the cold start performance of fuel cell engines. They will now start at -20 °C and deliver energy from the start. McCormick sees this as an important step towards the suitability of the vehicles for the market. The next step is to do the same thing at -40 °C. (GM press release)

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A study of Shell Germany says that in 20 years there will be between 48 and 51 millionen cars on Germany's roads, but they will emit less dangerous exhausts and CO₂ than today's 42 millionen. This will be done by improved exhaust processing, reduction of consumption and drives which are today still seen as alternative. The main engine type in 2020 will still be the combustion engine with improved conventional fuels. Biofuel and natural gas will remain restricted to special applications. Not so for hydrogen and fuel cells: One of investigated alternatives lead to a market share of such cars of 20 %. Under different assumptions the value is 7 %. Neither, however, can be done without state support.

The US Congress has approved 25 M$ for the hydrogen program of the Department of Energy in the framework of the Renewable Energy Program for the fiscal year 2000 (started on 1. October). This is more than last year (22,25 M$), but less than applied for by the government (28 M$). The Renewable Energy Program as a whole was cut down from 336 to 311 M$.

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Researchers of the Japanese Miyazaki university report about comparatively efficient water splitting by UV light using a novel layered Perovskite tantalate (RbLnTa₂O₇ withh Ln = La, Pr, Nd or Sm) as catalyst. The best results were achieved with Ln = Nd. Radiation of 200 cm³ of distilled water in which 0,2 g of the powder were dissolved with a high pressure mercury lamp lead to the development of 85 cm³ H₂ during 25 hours. This corresponds to 1,5 mW for 1 g of catalyst. Other gases were not found. The mechanism is not yet clear. It may have to do with the partial occupation of the 4f orbitals in Ln. (M. Machida et al., Chem. Comm. 1999 p. 1939f)

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Vaillant's first pilot plants of a small domestic fuel cell will start operation in 2001. The company cooperates with the US company Plug Power and also with GE Fuel Cells, a common daughter of Plug Power and General Electric. The objective is the supply of components and the joint marketing in Europe. The general introduction into the market will be 2003; until then 20 MEuro will have been invested. The plants will cost between 7,5 and 10 kEuro. After only six years they are said to have earnt their money, and in the following nine years savings of 15 to 20 kEuro are possible. For 2010 Vaillant intends to sell 100.000 devices per year. (Die Welt, 23. October 1999)

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A fuel cell car differs considerably from one with a combustion engine. Instead of mechanical parts (crankshafts, cylinders, and pistons) there are more process and electrotechnical components as elector motors and devices for gas generation and conditioning. A study of the Fraunhofer Institute for System Technology and Innovation Research (ISI, Karlsruhe, Germany) says that depending on the development of the market the production of the suppliers production may increase drastically, but it might as well decrease. "It will be a slow process, but the winner will be the one riding on the crest of the wave", as Juergen Wengel of ISI put it. The researchers discriminate three cases:

• If serial production starts in Germany, and in particular in the south-western state of Baden-Wuerttemberg, there would be an increased added value of 150 MEuro/year until 2010 and 2000 new jobs for the car supply industry in this region only.

• If the technology is rather introduced from other countries there would be a loss of production of more than 150 Million Euro and of more than 1000 jobs. .

• If the fuel cell is introduced in special fleets only (city buses) there are no important changes.

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Renault and PSA Peugeot-Citroën start a common project of four years to prepare the market introduction of a fuel cell car until 2010. About 34 % of the 5 MEuro for the project come from public funds. Their partners are the nuclear energy authority CEA, Air Liquide, de Nora, Elf, Total Fina, and Valeo (Renault press release of 9. September 1999). The project is part of the "Fuel Cell Technological Network"  which was created by the Frence government of 25. June. Its topics are the key components (membranes, electrodes, etc.), fuel supply (reformers etc.), safety and storage as well as social effects. The network is to identify markets and technical and economical demand, to prepare the regulatory and normative framework, to support research and pilot and demonstration projects, to promote international cooperation, and to do preparatory work.

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DaimlerChrysler Japan and Japan's greatest energy supplier Mitsubishi Oil Co. will jointly study the possibilities of a fuel cell car infrastructure. Details of the program are yet to be settled. (PR Newswire, 14. October 1999)

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Manhattan Scientifics has supplied a cellular phone in standby mode for 24 hours without interruption with energy from a small fuel cell. This is seen as important progress. Various major manufacturers are said to have expressed interest in making own tests with the prototype. (PR Newswire, 20. October 1999)

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Solar energy is feasible. This is the result of a study which was made by the international financial institute KPMG for Greenpeace. A mere 0,5 % of the sum which was used in 1998 for the exploration of new oil and gas fields would be enough to make solar electricity competitive. The transition could be achieved by setting up a solar factory producing 5 million solar modules per year. This are 250.000 solar roofs with 2 kW each, or 500 MW: The plant would cost 0,48 GEuro. (Germany's coal industry is subsidized with 4,5 GEuro in this year alone.)

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