STATE SUPPORTED RESEARCH AND

PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP:
CREATING THE KNOWLEDGE BASED
HYDROGEN SOCIETY

Assoc. Prof. Marinela Panayotova, Dr.,

University of Mining and Geology, "St. John of Rila",
Sofia, Bulgaria, marichim@mgu.bg

Brussels, 15 March 2011

 SOME BARRIERS TO HYDROGEN
SOCIETY DEVELOPMENT
• Funding
 EU level
 State level
 Public-private partnership
• Need of further coordination among policy-markers

• Need of further education and citizens’ awareness raising

 High school and universities
 Other educational possibilities

Brussels, 15 March 2011

 SOME AVAILABLE FUNDING LINES
EU LEVEL
• FP 7 – 50 to 75 % from European Community
- Energy 1: Hydrogen and fuel cells
- Energy 9: Knowledge for energy policy making
- Energy 10: Horizontal programme actions
• The Intelligent Energy-Europe Program
• Supporting research and development performing small and medium-sized
enterprises – EUROSTARS
STATE LEVEL – some examples
• FP7UK is a service provided by UK Government to help prospective applicants
access funding under FP7.
• POLIGHT - Regional R&D Cluster on Green Building and Hydrogen technologies –
Piemonte Regione, Italy
• Bulgarian National Science Fund – “Pulse electrolysis as a high efficient method
for generation of hydrogen gas mixtures”
• PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP
Joint Technology Initiative – support of large scale initiatives
The Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Technology Initiative - 50 % European
Community + 50 % private sector (EIB-through the Risk Sharing Financial Facility
(RSFF) ) - autonomously managing its program and using public funds –
since 15.11.2010
Brussels, 15 March 2011
BULGARIAN NATIONAL SCIENCE FUND
PULSE ELECTROLYSIS AS A HIGH EFFICIENT METHOD FOR
GENERATION OF HYDROGEN GAS MIXTURES

• Study of the process of pulse electrolysis - the influence of the

electrical and electrochemical parameters of the process

• Analysis of the corrosion properties of the electrode materials –

investigation of the influence of the parameters of the pulse electrolysis
on the corrosion properties of the electrodes made of different materials

• Gas analysis - study of HMG composition and its dependency on the

generator’s parameters, as well as study of the emissions’ composition
depending on the HMG addition.
• Analysis of HGM-rich fuels combustion – determination of the
influence of HGM addition to the conventional fuels on their combustion
properties, modeling of the heat and mass transfer in the combustion
process and optimization of the HGM content in view of reduction of the
fuel consumption and resulted emissions.

Brussels, 15 March 2011

 SOME FUNDING NEEDS
• Available funding lines are mainly for big consortia,
large-scale demonstration plants

• Smaller funding lines are needed for

- smaller research institutions
- small towns
- small educational institutions
which can not qualify under FP7 and other programs with
requirements for significant funding
• Further incentives are necessary for the small
enterprises in the private sector in order to make it to
support further development and education in the area of
hydrogen technology

Brussels, 15 March 2011

 NEED OF FURTHER COORDINATION
AMONG POLICY-MAKERS
Some examples of different Directorates-General relevant to the
Hydrogen Society
• DG “Research & Innovation” - FP7, Joint Technology Initiatives
• DG “Energy” - the Intelligent Energy-Europe Programme
• DG “Enterprise and Industry” - Supporting research and development
performing by small and medium-sized enterprises – EUROSTARS
Programme
• DG “Regional policy” - supports local communities in environment;
transport; energy; and education; including European regional
development fund + the 4 programs: JASPERS, JEREMIE, JESSICA,
JASMINE
• DG “Climate action” – programs: Reducing emissions from transport,
Emissions Trading System, Low Carbon Technologies
• DG “Mobility and Transport” – infrastructure projects
• DG “Education and Culture” - Lifelong Learning Programme
Concerted actions / Coordinating body is needed in order to boost
Hydrogen as future energy and mobility means.

Brussels, 15 March 2011

 NEED OF FURTHER EDUCATION AND
CITIZENS’ AWARENESS RAISING
Educated, knowing, convinced developers, producers and consumers
– the real basis for further development of the Hydrogen society.
Some good examples in Europe
• HySociety project - ECN-C--05-021 - Promoting a hydrogen-based society
• HySAFE - a Network of Excellence with the goal to contribute to the safe
transition to a hydrogen economy, including: a) to contribute to an improved
technical culture on handling hydrogen as an energy carrier; b) to promote public
acceptance of hydrogen technologies; c) organize training and educational
programmes on hydrogen safety, including on-line mode (e-Academy);
Sub-task 15.1. "International Curriculum on Hydrogen Safety Engineering":
Development and Implementation
• International Summer School on PEM Fuel Cells - European Commission
Joint Research Centre (JRC), Institute for Energy (IE), in cooperation with the
UNIDO International Centre for Hydrogen Energy Technologies (ICHET).
• University of Ulster – in PgCert/PgDip/MSc Hydrogen Safety Engineering

Brussels, 15 March 2011

 NEED OF FURTHER EDUCATION AND
CITIZENS’ AWARENESS RAISING
Where are the USA?
• Hydrogen Technology Learning Centers for California, Florida,
and New York:
- San Diego Miramar College;
- University of California at Davis;
- University of Central Florida Solar Energy Center; -Rochester
Institute of Technology
•Virginia-Maryland Hydrogen Technology Education Center
•Development of a Regional Hydrogen Technology Education
Consortium (North and South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida) - a
consortium of four universities from four states
• Hydrogen Education Curriculum at Michigan Technological
University – modules, minor and full courses – under graduate
and graduate level

Brussels, 15 March 2011

 NEED OF FURTHER EDUCATION AND
CITIZENS’ AWARENESS RAISING
Where we could dig deeper?
• Harmonized EU requirements for courses on
hydrogen based technologies – at university and
undergraduate level
• Special attention as a priority issue in LLLP – all
subprograms: Comenius, Erasmus, Leonardo da
Vinci and Grundtvig
• Listening to views both of scientists and of real-
life professionals.

Brussels, 15 March 2011

Thank you for
your attention !