Toyota has seized the opportunity of the European Hydrogen Energy Conference to stress the need for authorities and public as well as private entities to collaborate in the development of an infrastructure that allows the deployment of hydrogen cars, thus contributing to achieve a low carbon society. EHEC 2018 was held from March 14 through 16 at Malaga’s Palace of Congresses and Fairs.
More than 400 professionals from different sectors and from 30 countries gather at the EHEC 2018, a unique framework to learn about the latest developments around hydrogen and fuel cell technology and to show the latest advances in research , with the most innovative projects and products.
Following the success of WHEC 2016, which was held in Zaragoza, the Spanish Hydrogen Association (AeH2) has taken responsibility for the organization of the EHEC 2018 in Malaga with the aim of continuing to promote the use of hydrogen-related technologies around the world. The event included 145 oral presentations, 100 poster presentations and 12 plenary sessions where the latest trends in the sector were shown.
“Unlike other European countries, such as Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Belgium or Norway, among others, in addition to Japan and the US, Spain currently lacks a specific plan for the promotion and development of hydrogen infrastructure“, Toyota says
Toyota’s hydrogen fuel cell technology, the first to reach serial production in the world with the help of the Toyota Mirai, which began to be marketed at the end of 2014, was one of the main protagonists. According to Ashish Kamat, manager of Fuel Cell and Battery Systems in the Advanced Motor Department of Toyota Motor Europe (TME), this is already present in the Toyota Mirai and will be deployed in the coming years to other models, as long as an appropriate recharging infrastructure that allows hydrogen to be refuelled is available.
To Toyota, Spain has a deficit of hydrogen refuelling infrastructure, both in number and in standards, since not only is the current network scarce but it is also not up to date with the latest technical requirements, which prevents, for the time being, the commercial launch of the Toyota Mirai in the Spanish market, they say in a statement. “Unlike other European countries, such as Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Belgium or Norway, among others, in addition to Japan and the US, Spain currently lacks a specific plan for the promotion and development of hydrogen infrastructure” they point out.
Therefore, Toyota has seized the opportunity of the European Hydrogen Energy Conference 2018 in Malaga to stress the need for authorities and public as well as private entities to collaborate in the development of an infrastructure that allows the deployment of hydrogen as an energy vector, thus contributing to achieve a low carbon society.
Air Liquide was the company that delivered the hydrogen necessary for the supply of hydrogen cars presented by the makers Toyota and Hyundai at EHEC 2018. The company has done so through a mobile hydrogen service station, developed to serve this type of applications.