On January 17, the ̒ Hydrogen Council ̕ was inaugurated by the group seeking to promote use of hydrogen energy which consists of 13 global leading companies in the automobile, energy and industrial gas sectors including Toyota Motor, Air Liquide and Linde.

The group members are now planning to promote technological developments and capital investments in the hydrogen-related industries, and at the same time to present proposals to the government and related agencies of each country, so that they can extend a global diffusion of hydrogen energy including not only FCV but also the supply of hydrogen from renewable energies. Engaged in this inauguration were 13 members; Air Liquide, The Linde Group, Toyota Motor, Honda, Daimler, BMW Group, Hyundai Motor, Total, Alstom, Anglo-American, ENGIE, Royal Dutch Shell and Kawasaki.

The announcement of inauguration was made on January 17 in Switzerland where the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting (Davos Meeting) was being held. Air Liquide and Toyota Motor assumed the co-chairs of the council. The council stated concretely to expand the current annual investment achieved of 1.4 billion euros up to 1.9 billion euros in five years to hydrogen and fuel cells. It is expected that hydrogen and fuel cells are expected to play an effective role to control the progress of global warming. However, the development of infrastructures and cost reduction have turned out to be indispensable for diffusion.

The report unveiled by the Council showed a target to reduce the production cost of hydrogen (water electrolysis) by 30% in 2020 and 70% in 2050s in the value chain of the CO2-free hydrogen originated from renewable energy. An ultimate generation cost in use of fuel cell has been set at 20% of the current cost in 2020 and about 10% in 2050. In order to materialize such a value chain, it would be indispensable not only to realize the technological development of individual machinery and equipment, but also to provide infrastructure to supply H2 and expand the market of stationary and mobile fuel batteries like FCV. The Hydrogen Council intends to proceed with its activities aiming for the realization of value chain approaching the industrial society, policy makers of the Government or citizens’ groups to attain the target.

Benoȋt Potier chairman/CEO of Air Liquide said, “The Hydrogen Council gives a commitment on the possibility of hydrogen, which I am sure will be a driving force leading to an ecosystem with hydrogen as its core contributing to the control of climate change.”

Takeshi Uchiyamada chairman of Toyota Motor expressed his wishes to deepen understanding of the significance among common people as well as by the Government and the relevant industries.