9 Plenary Conferences to compare points of view, debate and create!

The Vehicle of the Future Center (Le Pôle Véhicule du Futur) will unveil a brand new tool with the objective to present overall figures (vehicle fleet, number of stations) to show that hydrogen mobility is already real. From forklifts to trucks, including taxis and utility vehicles, tens of thousands of vehicles have been deployed around the world. Supported by sources, this barometer will aid in seeing things more clearly and also show that mobility has its place within the sector.

The Vehicle of the Future Center organized a mission to Asia at the start of the year which impressed its participants. Japan, a pioneering country in terms of hydrogen with the Toyota brand, is rolling out its roadmap, overcoming difficulties, and acquiring ever greater know-how. For example, it innovates in the import of liquid hydrogen, the transformation of its energy mix, and a whole range of other technologies. As for South Korea, which is Hyundai’s homeland, it’s showing great ambitions. Roadmaps, incident cases, support from public authorities: In what ways can Europe benefit by learning from them?

A consortium of energy companies is leading a European hydrogen backbone project which involves deploying more than 30,000 km of infrastructure by 2030. More than 40 projects linked to pipelines to transport hydrogen have been selected for the title of  PIIEC (Important projects of common European interest). Among them, H2MED, which links the south and north of Europe, from Portugal to Germany. The plenary also proposes to address the subject of “pipes”, which will make it possible to connect the production, storage and consumption basins. It will mention, for example, mosaHYc hydrogen grid (France, Germany, Luxembourg) and HY FEN transport axe from Fos-sur-Mer to Mulhouse.

As part of the national hydrogen strategy in France, which is also the case for our neighbors and particularly Germany, the industry is privileged. Certain sectors (chemistry, steel industry) are indeed difficult to decarbonize and hydrogen is a natural candidate to replace gas. Some projects are already launching in France, as well as in Germany and northern Europe. An Assembly is organized in partnership with Usine Nouvelle.

The tendency is towards energy production hubs, like in the United States, in order to meet the needs of various customers (industry, mobility). Producing large quantities of energy is one of the keys to promoting multimodality. In a port or industrial basin, one single hub can easily supply trucks as well as trains (particularly for freight) and boats (shuttles, barges). This plan would be ideal for decarbonizing a corridor such as the Rhine-Rhône axis, for example. The Assembly will summarize a workshop dedicated to this very theme.

Sometimes considered a future El Dorado, white hydrogen is seen as the way to ensure the energy sovereignty of a country and benefit from energy at a much lower price. But it still needs to be extracted and exploited. Today, this sector is still in its very early stages. However, investment funds are starting to be created and certain countries such as the United States seem to be accelerating. What about in the rest of the world, particularly  Europe and France? It’s the whole purpose of this plenary, which focuses on the business aspect.

One might think that this is green washing, but automobile racing is also engaged in the energy transition. And it can even anticipate future developments in mobility. The ecosystem of the Magny-Cours circuit is working, for example, on the hydrogen engine and is also looking at the transition to liquid hydrogen. Between battery and combustion engines, hydrogen gas or liquid, how does the world of motorsport collaborate with manufacturers? 24 Hours du Le Mans, Dakar, Extreme H: so many playgrounds that may interest manufacturers and equipment suppliers.

The Burgundy-Franche-Comté region, which already has testing resources with the FC LAB, will strengthen its offer with the ISTHY test center in Belfort for hydrogen storage. This is a first in France and perhaps even in Europe. What are the other means of testing high-power fuel cells, H2 combustion engines, or even electrolysers? This plenary aims to give a voice to the academic world and industrialists on a national and local scale. Some key players propose internally developed tools, which can benefit the entire sector.

Abandoned, even sacrificed to the detriment of the industry, hydrogen mobility has its place within the sector. Of course, vehicles remain expensive. But there are business models to make them more accessible. This is the case for taxis and trucks with rental packages that cover the vehicle and access to hydrogen and maintenance. On the station side, the pooling of uses is also a way to make these heavy investments profitable. The plenary will review the initiatives and financial boosts that allow the pump to be primed for H2 mobility.